Chapter 906: Worya (Moonlit Night).

“Gasp…!”

Gu Bong collapsed onto the floor with a thud.

He was trembling uncontrollably, so it seemed the hit landed properly.

‘Hmm.’

Looking at the guy who had collapsed, I glanced at my fist. It definitely landed, but.

‘The feeling is strange.’

Like tough leather? Or should I say, firmer muscle?

Anyway, it felt quite different from the usual.

I originally intended to shatter his ribs, but it only caused moderate pain; there was no actual damage.

“Ugh… Grrr….”

In the meantime, Gu Bong hadn’t lost his fighting spirit, glaring at me with his fangs bared, radiating hostility.

“…How dare you ambush me… cough!”

I kicked him in the jaw. His head shot up towards the sky.

“Ambush my ass. Go screw yourself.”

I walked right up and beat him, and he calls it an ambush?

“You should be ashamed you couldn’t react. Talking about ambushes.”

Clicking my tongue, I went to grab him by the hair.

Thwack-!

“Oh.”

He grabbed my wrist.

Just as I was about to exclaim in admiration, I narrowed my eyes slightly as I looked at his hand.

Not only the grip strength felt through my hand, but also the non-human-like fingernails and the hair on the back of his hand caught my eye.

Squeeeeze.

The pressure I felt wasn’t bad.

This level of strength could rival a martial artist who had reached the ‘Hwajing’ level in external martial arts.

‘Hmm.’

If I had to compare, maybe Tang Deok? Though his grip strength seems superior….

‘He has the Heavenly Martial Body physique, so that’s understandable.’

What is this guy? The more I looked, the more curious I became. It piqued my interest.

So.

‘Let’s beat him up some more.’

Smiling, I pulled his hand.

When I applied force and pulled, the arm he was holding me with came off limply.

“Tsk!”

This time too, I put force into it intending to break his arm, but he only felt pain.

His bone structure seemed quite strong.

‘Then.’

How about this?

Crack-!!

“Kkyaaaak!”

‘This one breaks.’

I bent his arm backward at the joint.

It broke when I applied a bit more force.

I kicked him away, sending him flying.

Gu Bong rolled a few times on the floor before managing to stop himself.

“Kkeueu….”

Just as he was clutching his broken arm in pain.

Crackle-snap.

“Hmm?”

A change was visible in his arm. With a rough sound of bones, his arm was restoring itself.

“Huh.”

Amazing. His regenerative power is incredible, isn’t it?

“That cow bastard too. Are all the guys here like this?”

Or are there just special ones like him?

And.

“Just in case, I’m asking. Does it regenerate if I pull it out?”

“…”

Gu Bong’s shoulder flinched at my curious question.

“Ah, just kidding, just kidding.”

Seeing his clear reaction, I waved my hand with a laugh.

‘Doesn’t seem like it.’

It’s a shame, maybe I should just check? The thought flashed briefly, but I decided against it.

Anyway, that wasn’t important right now.

‘His body is tough and regenerates quickly.’

Perfect.

‘For beating him up until I feel better.’

He’s truly perfect for venting my anger. Thinking that, I took a step towards him.

My vision shifts.

My body was already standing in front of him.

He moved his body, looking at me as I appeared.

His reaction speed is quite fast.

Clang. Gu Bong got up and drew his sword from his waist.

Should I stop him from drawing it? I hesitated for a moment then decided to let him.

I suddenly wondered what sword stance he would use.

Swoosh-!

The sword emerged from its sheath and cut through the air.

I turned my head and dodged the first strike.

Simultaneously, he twisted his waist, gaining momentum. His speed began to pick up.

Whoosh-! Swish-swish-!

The sword path was consistent and fast.

The fact that he didn’t falter despite taking consecutive blows meant his foundation was solid.

‘Not bad.’

While continuously dodging his sword, I observed him from various angles.

Overall, the distribution of his strength was good.

He felt like one of those martial artists with an exceptionally solid foundation, even among those at the Hwajing level.

When combined with his unique physical abilities, flexibility, and notably good reaction speed, he became quite threatening.

However.

Thump-!

“…!”

He wasn’t without openings, though.

Between the gaps in his fluid sword path.

Even within those dense, narrow gaps, my ‘Siman’ (Mind’s Eye) found a path.

As he continued his sword strikes, I tripped him at the ankle, disrupting his balance.

Yet, even amidst that, he maintained his balance and continued his sword slashes.

‘Wow. His flexibility is something else.’

The level of control was absurd.

As admiration burst forth, I looked at the sword.

Just as I was about to grab the blade to stop it, I saw the sword and actually created distance instead.

Whoooosh-!

“Hmm….”

The sword cut through the air again. As I watched, something felt off.

‘If I had tried to grab it just now, I think I would’ve screwed myself.’

His strength is outstanding, and his power is great.

I knew his skill level was high, but facing him wasn’t particularly difficult.

The problem was that chill I just felt.

‘Is it the sword?’

That sword. The sword Gu Bong was holding was strange.

I think I would have been seriously injured if I had grabbed it just now.

‘What is it?’

Was there something on the sword? As the question crossed my mind, Gu Bong charged at me.

Swoooosh-!

He crouched down and rotated his sword halfway.

Along with that, a crimson sword aura gradually coated the blade.

Flashes erupted along the sharp and swift sword path.

I smelled a fragrance near my nose.

“…You said you were from the Mount Hua Sect. You weren’t just saying that, were you?”

I knew it from the moment I saw his sword path, but this was definitely the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

Just looking at the gradually blooming display of energy confirmed it.

Indeed. Did Old Man Shin teach him the actual sword skills, not just let him use the Mount Hua Sect name?

‘So if it’s slightly different, that makes sense.’

It’s clearly different from the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of the Central Plains.

The biggest difference is its roughness.

Recalling how Yeongpung used it, his exceptionally smooth and delicate sword path was exquisite.

This one was different from back then.

It only took the basic framework of the sword path. The resulting execution was entirely different.

‘Cruel and rough.’

If the Central Plains’ Plum Blossom Sword Technique was truly swordsmanship.

This was…

‘It seems aimed at slaughter.’

A sword style created to slice and cruelly cleave things.

It’s absurd that the sword path emits both floral and bloody scents simultaneously.

‘What on earth did that old man create?’

No matter how I looked at it, it wasn’t a normal sword technique.

Seeing me continuously dodging, Gu Bong grit his teeth and shouted.

“Just running away like a rat…!”

Is this a provocation? If so, I just snorted.

“You’re charging at me to kill me, so of course I have to dodge.”

“Tsk!”

Gu Bong, gritting his teeth, increased his speed.

The scattered plum blossoms in the sky stirred violently.

Leaves falling from the divine tree and petals made of energy mixed and surged towards me.

Their form was like a tidal wave.

I clenched my fist and thrust it straight forward.

Thump-!

With a short sound, a hole was punched through the tidal wave. It was ‘Heart Fist’.

I prepared my fist to strike again, but Gu Bong flew in through the hole.

The way he charged resembled a beast hunting its prey.

He reached me in an instant, his blade extending straight towards my neck.

Slaap-!

“Kuk!”

Just before the blade could reach me, my fist smashed into Gu Bong’s face. Hit square in the face, Gu Bong slammed straight into the ground.

CRUNCH-!!

The impact cracked the floor.

“Slow. Very slow at that.”

No matter how fast I admired him to be, that was only relative to those on the same level.

The difference in class was too great; there was nothing to do or not do from the start.

“Kueo….”

Gu Bong, his cheekbone shattered, let out a groan. I looked at him disdainfully and said.

“You wouldn’t have picked a fight just to show me this. Is this all you’ve got?”

Crackle-snap.

“Kkeueueu!”

I stomped on his chest with my foot.

As I pressed down with force, his body sank further into the ground.

“Hey. Is this all you’ve got?”

“Kuh… Kkeueuk….”

“This is ridiculous.”

I looked at him, a smirk on my face.

This much is just too disappointing.

If it’s like this, I can’t even vent my anger properly.

‘This isn’t fun. Should I just pluck out his eyes like I thought earlier?’

It was something I briefly considered due to his displeasing gaze.

I thought about acting on impulse, but.

‘No.’

That’s a bit much. I decided to provoke him a little more.

“What the heck. You called yourself a disciple and took that old man’s side so much, I thought you must have learned something. But you’re nothing special.”

“…!”

As soon as I spoke, he flinched.

He must have been in pain, being stepped on and trembling, but not a single scream was heard.

His groans also stopped. As expected, this seems to be working.

“If you learned from that guy, you shouldn’t be just this level… Ah, maybe the old man didn’t teach very well? Then again. If he taught well, his disciple wouldn’t be like this…”

“Don’t… don’t speak carelessly-!”

Whooosh-!

Air pressure erupted. Significant energy was gathered in his roaring cry.

He grabbed my ankle.

My body shook violently.

BOOOOM-!!

Gu Bong grabbed me and threw me.

Before my rapidly flying body could roll on the ground, I burst into flames and landed safely.

Screeeech-!

The ground was scorched by the flames.

I straightened my posture and looked at him.

“Looks like you still had some strength left? If you did, why didn’t you use it sooner?”

I said, loosening my neck slightly.

Gu Bong was also getting back up.

“…How dare you, how dare you… insult the Sect Leader…?”

“Angry?”

Heh heh. I chuckled and looked at him.

“What can you do even if you’re angry?”

“…”

His face contorted endlessly.

He seemed genuinely provoked.

“Grrr.”

His hair and the fur on his ears stood on end. Seeing that, I gave a slight nod.

‘His presence is growing stronger.’

The hostility he emitted. The killing intent surging. Somehow, he was getting stronger.

“I will not forgive you.”

“So, what can you-“

“Don’t regret this.”

Crackle-snap.

“…Hmm?”

With a rough sound, his body began to change.

His body was gradually swelling.

His fur grew longer, and his pupils split vertically.

His neatly kept hair became disheveled.

His low, crouching posture and his tail, now twice as large, were striking.

Literally a beast.

“…Grrr….”

The breath exhaled from his mouth mixed with energy, like he was breathing out smoke.

While I watched his bizarre transformation with interest, Gu Bong spoke to me.

“…Night has fallen. You should have finished this fight before then.”

‘Night?’

I looked up. Come to think of it, it was already night.

The same deep purple aurora and stars were shining brilliantly as yesterday.

And on top of that, two moons.

It was the same night I saw last time.

“Night…?”

I gazed at the moons for a moment, then looked back at him.

Then, recalling that cow bastard I saw before, a thought suddenly struck me.

“That cow bastard too… it seems something happens when night falls, right?”

“…”

“The brat doesn’t answer when a person asks him a question. Why? Can’t you talk in that state? Then at least bark or something.”

“Grrrrr… This guy…!”

“What the heck. You can talk…”

ROOOOAR-!!

His claws appeared right before my eyes.

I leaned back, dodging the attack.

SCRRRRAAAATCH-!!

The wind pressure from his swung claws created a mess behind me.

That wasn’t all.

Gu Bong spun in mid-air and swung the sword he held at me.

CLANG-!!

Rattatatat-!

The moment I blocked the sword with my fist, the ground beneath me gave way slightly.

It was tremendous strength. My eyes narrowed involuntarily.

‘He’s at least twice as strong as before.’

Both his speed and strength.

Is this because he took on that form?

‘I thought he looked somewhat human, aside from the ears and tail. Now he’s just a beast, really.’

Even the aura he gave off was like that.

His form was like a mix of a wolf and a human.

Is this thanks to the arrival of night?

‘It’s certain something happens at night.’

I don’t know if it’s just him, or if there’s something else.

I should ask Old Man Shin about this.

‘Ah, no.’

I changed my mind the moment the thought occurred.

‘There’s no need to ask Old Man Shin.’

Instead of asking the old man whose whereabouts I don’t even know.

He’s right here. The one to ask.

While blocking my attack, he exposed his fangs as he looked at me digging into the ground.

Towards him.

“It’s too late to regret-“

Thwack-!

“Kuk?”

I reached out, grabbed him by the neck, and then slammed him straight into the ground.

Kuaaaaaaaa-!!

“Kuh…! Kkeuok!”

The impact made him try to vomit blood, but I punched him in the face to prevent it.

WHAM-! WHAM-WHAM-!!

Gu Bong struggled against the barrage of punches.

Fixing his body with my neck so he couldn’t escape, I continued to smash him with my fists.

“You son of a bitch.”

WHAM-! WHAM-!

“What night? What the hell is ‘night’, you bastard.”

BOOOOM-!!

“So you got a little stronger, what about it?”

Emotion gradually seeped into my punches.

“Fuck, weaklings always get the wrong idea.”

WHAM-! WHAM-WHAM-!!

“You getting stronger? So what?”

WHAM-!

“That doesn’t make me weaker.”

CRACKLE-!

“Damn idiots.”

I clenched my fist tightly. This is the last one.

“They just don’t realize that.”

The final punch I delivered cracked the ground like a spiderweb.

“Ptoo.”

I spat and got up.

I hit him a bit too hard, and dust got all over me.

I brushed myself off and got into stance.

“You insignificant punk, acting tough and shit.”

I rolled my wrists and looked at him.

His appearance was obviously a mess, and the legs that had been struggling until moments ago were now completely still.

“…”

Seeing that, I casually nudged his leg.

“Hey. Get up.”

“…”

“I said, get up?”

There was still no movement.

“Uh…”

Seeing that, I scratched my cheek.

“Did you die…?”

…Did I overdo it a little?