Chapter 345: Second Coming. (5)

Around the time a massive heat was being relentlessly spewed from the direction of the Dragon Hall.

On Mount Tai, unaware of the situation, a storm of blood was raging.

Due to the surprise attack by the unorthodox martial artists, the later disciples were losing several lives.

The resulting scent of blood was gradually soaking Mount Tai.

Among them.

A place where killing intent, enough to shake Mount Tai, was ceaselessly emanating.

Kuuuung-!

With the extended single fist strike, the surrounding terrain was overturned.

Geugeuk-!

The soles of the feet swept across the ground.

The applied pressure was so intense that traces were invariably left everywhere with each movement.

Crush and tear.

Making sure they could never return to their original form.

Bi Yijin remained solely faithful to the essence.

The essence of martial arts is, ultimately, destruction.

Martial arts for protecting someone?

Such a narrow-minded thought was discarded from his mind long ago.

To protect something.

Ultimately, one must eliminate something.

Countless martial artists speak of the sanctity of cultivating martial arts and advancing their realms, but…

The essence of martial arts is violence.

The nobility. Patience. Endless effort undertaken for it.

He respected all of that.

However.

Drip… drip.

The words wouldn’t resonate much with the Martial Lord, no, with Bi Yijin as he was now.

To him, martial arts were merely a process towards completion.

And merely preparation to ultimately shatter the heavens.

Drip….

Blood water dripped from his hands.

To the point where he couldn’t tell how much blood stained them. It gave a chilling feeling just looking at it, but…

The soaked blood water wasn’t Bi Yijin’s.

Bi Yijin casually flicked the blood water off his hands and looked at the panting lump of flesh before him.

All the blood splattered around was his.

Bi Yijin opened his mouth with a composed expression.

“You’re holding up better than I thought.”

It was a compliment.

Roughly estimating, he must have lasted between eight and nine exchanges. Unlike the saying that lasting ten exchanges meant victory. Bi Yijin inwardly thought the opponent would fall within five exchanges.

It was an incredibly arrogant thought, but… Bi Yijin tended to be overflowing with confidence.

His martial arts were worth that confidence.

It was the power to shatter the heavens and advance to higher places.

That’s why he named his martial art ‘Sky Shattering’.

Bi Yijin looked at the something barely maintaining its breath, as if only clinging to life, and asked.

“What did you say your sobriquet was? Was it the Black Night Palace Lord.”

The identity of the lump of flesh was the Black Night Palace Lord.

“Haa… ah.”

In response to Bi Yijin’s question, the Black Night Palace Lord barely exhaled, as if reacting. His condition wasn’t good, visually or otherwise.

“…Nyah….”

The Black Night Palace Lord barely managed to speak in a very small voice.

“What was that?”

Bi Yijin moved closer, lending his ear.

Then, the Black Night Palace Lord’s voice became relatively clearer than before.

“Wh…y… isn’t it… working…?”

“Hmm?”

Bi Yijin tilted his head, trying to grasp the core meaning of the resentful words.

Fortunately, he could recall it without much thought.

“Ah. You mean that?”

Bi Yijin could vaguely guess what the Black Night Palace Lord was referring to.

The subtle miasma circulating within Bi Yijin’s body right now.

Bi Yijin had been sensing it since the beginning of his fight with that fellow called the Black Night Palace Lord.

At first, it was somewhat baffling.

It was an energy he had never felt before in his life. Because its quality felt quite foul.

It truly was a peculiar energy. It not only blocked the movement of energy, but also slowed down the execution of movements.

When he first noticed it, he thought it might be a type of poison, but it didn’t seem like it. If not, perhaps it was a type of martial art employed by the Black Night Palace Lord?

Whatever it was, it was certainly a hindrance.

But even so.

“You engaged in a futile act.”

It wasn’t much of a problem for Bi Yijin.

“It was bothersome, in its own way. But ultimately, I just needed to block it from functioning.”

If it were poison, it would have been troublesome, but…

If it’s a type of energy, I just need to block it internally with my internal energy to prevent further harm.

Hearing that, the Black Night Palace Lord’s clouded eyes trembled slightly.

“…That… makes no… sense….”

It was because he couldn’t properly comprehend what he had just heard.

The energy bestowed by the heavens upon the Palace Lord was a fatal energy to a martial artist’s body.

Even though such energy had seeped into his dantian.

He blocked it with his internal energy and prevented it from flowing?

Moreover.

And in that state, he turned me into this mess?

“How… How can you possibly do something like that…? Just who the hell are you….”

Separating and blocking the energy contained within the internal energy…

It’s not like finding and removing salt mixed in sand.

It’s more akin to finding and extracting liquor mixed into a flowing river.

How could such a thing be possible?

What exactly was the identity of the person before him?

As the Black Night Palace Lord stared with eyes full of shock.

Bi Yijin tilted his head upon hearing the Palace Lord.

“You just do it. What’s the problem?”

If you just want to do it, you can do it.

What exactly is the issue here?

Bi Yijin, conversely, couldn’t understand the Palace Lord’s words.

Leaving the shocked Black Night Palace Lord aside. Bi Yijin turned his head and looked in a certain direction.

It was towards where the Dragon Hall stood.

If it wasn’t his imagination, something seemed to be happening over there.

His spiritual sense couldn’t quite reach that far, so he couldn’t know for sure, but he could tell something was unfolding.

‘This… is it that child?’

A unique heat, felt even faintly. Along with it, a deeper killing intent and battle aura brushed past Bi Yijin’s cheek.

This kind of flame was the same as what that child he intended to claim possessed.

What was slightly puzzling was…

It was much denser.

And felt much hotter.

For a moment, Bi Yijin wondered if they had broken through a barrier to become stronger… but he quickly shook his head.

That child was staying at the peak of mastery, but…

From Bi Yijin’s perspective, they seemed somewhat unprepared to head beyond it.

They were still very young.

At that child’s age, he himself hadn’t even reached the peak.

It was astonishing that they were already looking towards the Martial Realm (Hwajing), having surpassed the peak of mastery.

If they continue to grow like this, wouldn’t they reach the Martial Realm around the time they pass their youth?

‘If that happens, it would truly be recorded in history.’

Reaching the Martial Realm in one’s youth.

It would be something no one in history had ever come close to.

That’s why it’s even more desirable.

That child possessing such talent. The child possessing a body that could support it.

‘What a pity, what a pity.’

Bi Yijin felt once again just how underdeveloped his own body was.

He compensated for his weakened meridians and unremarkable body with training and experience, and filled his drastically diminished capacity with inner elixirs and spiritual pills from his secret collection, but…

Even so, it was merely a temporary measure.

Bi Yijin’s weak body and pathetic internal energy were holding him back, preventing him from reaching the Martial Realm.

The extent of the problem was that…

He couldn’t complete a single move of the Sky Shattering Demonic Dance (Tua Pachedonmu) he had mastered; that was the first problem.

And the second problem was that even using it about ten times put a strain on his body.

This martial art was originally created to suit his past life self.

It was a martial art unusable by those lacking talent or a supporting body, so it was only natural.

He had used the First and Second Forms (Ilshik, Isik) about six or seven times now, so using them a few more times would cause an overload.

It was fortunate that the match concluded before that happened.

Bi Yijin soon surveyed his surroundings, enhancing his perception.

The bloody storm raging around him was still present, but he could feel it gradually subsiding.

‘This is unusual.’

In a way, it was fortunate, but the process felt somewhat strange.

If it was going to subside this easily, the initial attack itself was strange.

He heard the later disciples and instructors were pushing them back.

That the skill level of the instructors and the attackers wasn’t significantly different, and that the later disciples, mere blood clots, couldn’t overcome the situation just by uniting.

While the outstanding ones among them were close to the instructors’ level,

Bi Yijin felt the situation seemed somehow different.

‘I should investigate.’

His brow furrowed involuntarily. He didn’t particularly want to meddle in affairs happening in the Central Plains.

Amidst the conflicts between the orthodox and unorthodox factions, even though Bi Yijin nominally belonged to the orthodox faction, he considered himself to belong to neither.

However.

‘I have no choice this time.’

The problem wasn’t anything else, but that the rascal girl from the Bi family was here with him.

It wouldn’t be good for Bi Yijin if that child were to face danger.

‘Suffering like this in my old age.’

He hadn’t married or had children precisely to avoid this kind of trouble, yet…

To become young again only to suffer like this.

Isn’t that truly ironic?

‘The other children must have wisely avoided the danger themselves.’

The injured children are a bit concerning, but they surely must have escaped.

After all, I had already passed on a message to the descendant of that old man, Wi Xiaogong.

Having recalled that far, Bi Yijin shifted his gaze back to the Black Night Palace Lord.

The body, broken as if about to give up its last breath, came into view.

His realm was higher than Bi Yijin’s current level, and the power he used was unusual, but…

facing him wasn’t particularly difficult. He had twisted his insides with just a few strikes, and by understanding his movements and reacting first, he could handle him anytime.

If there was anything troublesome, it was that Bi Yijin’s own condition wasn’t optimal, so he had to end the fight quickly.

He clenched his fist.

He briefly considered whether he should keep him alive and hand him over to the Martial Alliance, but…

Bi Yijin decided against it.

Leaving a dangerous element as is, for one thing.

He didn’t need to do such bothersome work himself, nor did he want to reveal his presence by causing such a scene.

He wanted to finish this quickly and return to Bibi.

Although he had left her in a safe place, unforeseen circumstances could always arise.

He shifted his stance.

Kwak-!

His toes dug into the ground, securing his pressure and balance.

His target was the Black Night Palace Lord’s head.

His intention was to crush the head and kill him instantly, but…

Just before Bi Yijin’s fist reached the Black Night Palace Lord.

Kwak-!

“…!”

Bi Yijin’s fist froze solid in mid-air.

It hadn’t stopped on its own.

Someone had grabbed Bi Yijin’s wrist and forcibly stopped it.

Bi Yijin looked sharply at the person gripping his wrist.

They had appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his wrist.

Easily penetrating the spiritual sense he had deployed.

Even though he was somewhat tired from exerting so much power, it was still surprising for Bi Yijin.

Tuk-!

He immediately twisted his wrist and broke free.

Unlike the firm grip, he could escape far too easily.

Bi Yijin immediately put distance between himself and the opponent.

“Who are you?”

Someone who could approach this closely and even block his attack was undoubtedly a highly skilled martial artist.

Bi Yijin examined the suddenly appeared individual.

What was visible first were black hair, a length that seemed to slightly pass the shoulders, and glimpses of pale white skin.

Though their face was hidden by their hair, Bi Yijin sensed something strange about such an opponent.

‘Their presence is faint.’

Even though they were right in front of him.

A subtle presence, as if they weren’t there.

It was hard to get a proper read on them, so to speak.

That presence was likely the reason Bi Yijin hadn’t noticed the opponent’s approach.

He stabilized his body by regulating his breathing.

As he did, he repeated his earlier question.

“Just who the hell are you…!”

Bi Yijin, about to ask about their identity, suddenly collapsed onto one knee.

“Huk…!”

Kung-!

Pain surged from his dantian.

A mixed vibration tightened his throat.

‘This…!’

The unknown miasma he had isolated and set aside in a corner during his fight with the Black Night Palace Lord.

Suddenly began to writhe violently within Bi Yijin’s body as if running amok.

The internal energy flowing through his meridians started flowing erratically, and in an instant, all strength left his body as pain assaulted Bi Yijin.

“Kkeuk…!”

He gasped for air, trying desperately to endure.

Bi Yijin glared at the opponent with bloodshot eyes.

“…Did… you do this?”

He could tell this change, this situation, was caused by the being before him.

“…”

The person before him offered no answer to Bi Yijin’s question.

Instead, they slowly turned their head to look at Bi Yijin.

As their gaze shifted and Bi Yijin confirmed the opponent’s face, his eyes widened in utter shock for some reason.

Bi Yijin wasn’t the only one surprised by this sight.

The Black Night Palace Lord, kneeling and bleeding, expressed surprise as he looked at the slender back.

“Haa…! Heavens above…. How….”

At the Black Night Palace Lord’s voice,

the unknown being took steps towards Bi Yijin.

Kureureung.

With every step taken on small feet,

black energy erupted from their body.

It resembled the martial arts used by the Black Night Palace Lord, but it was a much denser and more ominous energy.

This is dangerous.

Bi Yijin sensed the crisis.

Despite emanating such energy, he still couldn’t pinpoint their presence, nor could he discern the extent of their power.

He wondered if it was due to the energy rampaging within his body, but…

Bi Yijin was certain that wasn’t the reason.

The being, now right before Bi Yijin’s nose, reached out a hand filled with black energy.

Clearly intending to grasp Bi Yijin’s neck.

The slender fingertips soon touched Bi Yijin’s neck.

The touch was cold.

Not just cold, but chillingly so.

The touching fingertips gradually extended, just as they were about to grasp Bi Yijin’s neck.

Hwi-iik-!

Someone grabbed Bi Yijin’s clothes and yanked him backward forcefully.

Kung!

Thanks to that, Bi Yijin rolled on the ground, but he managed to escape the crisis.

“Keuhuk….”

Bi Yijin gasped for breath repeatedly as he pushed himself up.

The pain was still there, but fortunately, he could move slightly.

Bi Yijin had to be surprised once more upon seeing the one who had saved him.

Because the one who saved him was Wi Seora herself.

He had clearly told her to take the children and flee to a safe place, yet…

For some reason, she had appeared here and saved Bi Yijin.

While that was something to be grateful for,

seeing her, Bi Yijin found himself facing an inexplicable situation.

“Why…?”

It couldn’t be helped.

Wi Seora, wearing a fierce expression, was pointing her sword at the person before them, and the opponent, too, wore a peculiar expression while looking at Wi Seora.

Tilting their head.

Scanning Wi Seora from head to toe.

Perhaps out of curiosity?

Maybe so.

Although their reactions and feelings were quite different,

Wi Seora’s and the opponent’s faces looked startlingly identical, as if facing a mirror.