Chapter 189: The Great Inferno Battle (5)

“When did you….”

In his wide-eyed gaze was a young man strolling leisurely as if on a walk, accompanied by an old man with a smiling face.

‘The Lone Flying Swordsman, Wang Woo?’

The first person he was wary of was Wang Woo, the hidden master of the Kunlun Sect.

He knew that this orthodox master had evaded the Red Flame Squad’s pursuit and killed many of his comrades.

But what followed left him even more bewildered.

“This place has a great view. Maybe I should retire here with my wife.”

“Haha. If that’s what you desire, my lord, any place would be perfect.”

“I think so too.”

Seeing Wang Woo bowing his head to the joking young man, he couldn’t easily understand the situation.

But he couldn’t make a rash move either.

It was because of the scene unfolding beyond the two people.

*Crack. Crack.*

Huge things were swaying in the air behind them.

*Crack. Crack.*

*Crack. Crack.*

Those towering high into the sky were none other than the corpses of the Red Flame Squad.

The bodies of the Red Flame Squad, who should have been following his orders here, were impaled on shadowy tendrils, dripping blood like rain.

In this surreal and geometric scene, the man realized that whatever those shadowy tendrils were, they had devoured the entire Red Flame Squad.

*Shiver.*

Feeling the chill run down his spine, he looked back at the young man.

And he saw it.

The transparent, glass-like pupils glowing with a blood-red hue.

‘Wang Woo isn’t the problem.’

What on earth is this?

‘This unknown entity.’

As his fingertips trembled with a sense of dread, the young-looking entity smiled wickedly.

“Now, it seems you’re ready to talk.”

“…Who are you?”

“No need to know. You wouldn’t believe it even if I explained.”

*Thud.*

As the young man flicked his hand, a black, ball-like object rolled to his feet.

It was the head of the squad leader, who had died with his tongue sticking out.

“Your friend said something interesting.”

“……”

“He mentioned a new Awakening Stone. Do you know anything about it?”

“I…”

The man quickly surged his internal energy, moving his right hand like lightning to crush his own skull.

He feared speaking out of extreme terror, so he tried to kill himself.

*Crack!*

But just as he was about to crush his skull, he saw the black bandages wrapped around his arm.

‘Damn it.’

He quickly tried to bite the poison capsule hidden between his teeth.

“My lord.”

“Yes?”

“Can I eat this?”

The young man said.

“Yes, you can eat it.”

Just not the head.

“I need to find out something.”

“Ha-ha-ha!”

*Crunch!*

The bandages wrapped around him formed a monstrous mouth.

“Thank you for the meal!”

*Crunch!*

Seeing the gaping black maw, the man dropped the sword he was holding.

***

The flames that seemed ready to burn down the entire forest and mountains quickly dispersed.

Those trembling in fear at the clearing were puzzled by the sudden cooling of the heat.

But when familiar faces appeared, most of them even screamed.

“Senior Instructor!”

Especially when they saw Jang Cheol-sim, whom they thought was dead, some were so shocked they stuttered.

“That’s a rather undignified welcome.”

“Sorry, sir.”

A young instructor, his mouth agape, blushed in embarrassment.

After a moment of commotion, Jang Cheol-sim gathered the instructors.

“You’ve all worked hard.”

“Sir… Are you seriously injured?”

“I’m fine. Honestly, I was lucky. I was rescued just in time when I thought it was the end.”

“Is that so?”

“Hmph!”

Sensing the tense atmosphere between the sharp-eyed Mo Yong Seon-ya and the intimidated instructors, Jang Cheol-sim asked.

“Something happened, didn’t it?”

“Well, that is…”

“Speak up. The situation is urgent, and it’s best to resolve old grudges quickly.”

It was rare to see the usually bold and straightforward Mo Yong Seon-ya angry, especially given her prestigious background.

But the instructors, under Jang Cheol-sim’s gaze, hesitated and remained silent.

Even when he urged them, they kept their mouths shut, which was also unusual.

‘I don’t understand.’

Thinking this, Jang Cheol-sim suddenly remembered someone who always seemed to be involved in strange occurrences.

“Instructor Mo Yong, where is Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi?”

“Well, that is…”

Just then, Instructor Yang, who had been exuding cold air, raised his hand.

“He stayed behind, saying he found traces of stragglers.”

Hearing this, a few instructors’ eyes lit up.

‘So he’s alone?’

‘This is the perfect chance to silence that destructive mouth.’

‘Let’s go first. We need to shut him up.’

A few instructors exchanged glances and interjected.

“We don’t know how many enemies are left. It’s dangerous for him to move alone.”

“We’ll go and assist Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi.”

“Please allow us, Senior Instructor.”

It was curious that those who always looked down on the temporary instructor were now eager to help, but Jang Cheol-sim didn’t refuse.

If he were in better condition, he would have wanted to drag him back himself.

“Please do. I’ll follow as soon as I recover.”

Seeing his pale face, the three instructors secretly clenched their fists.

***

Watching those quickly leave the clearing, Yeo Mae-hong muttered worriedly.

“What is Instructor Cho thinking?”

“Well, he must have a plan.”

Mo Yong Seon-ya recalled Cho Un-hwi’s request.

– I’ll follow leisurely.

Thinking of his peculiar expression, Mo Yong Seon-ya shook her head.

“He probably expected this.”

“I can’t help but worry…”

Recalling his ghostly movements from earlier, Yeo Mae-hong hugged herself and shivered.

“When it comes to fighting, it’s the Euncheon Hall instructors who should be worried.”

“Right. In unarmed combat, maybe not, but in field combat, few can match Instructor Cho.”

Remembering his ghostly movements that blended with the terrain and swiftly ended lives, Mo Yong Seon-ya muttered.

“What kind of life must one live to show such skills?”

At least one thing was certain.

“The world will soon witness the legend of Dongcheon Hall.”

***

“Huff. Huff. Where did he go?”

Following the path indicated by their group, the instructors frowned as they looked around the smoky mountain path.

They needed to find Cho Un-hwi quickly and silence him.

‘We can smooth things over with the other instructors, but the Lucky Sword is dangerous.’

He was a man who lived up to his nickname.

He had also sent many comrades to ruin with just his mouth.

“Instructor Seo, do you think he sensed something and ran?”

“No matter how skilled he is, he can’t escape our request.”

“That’s right. If necessary, we’ll pressure him.”

If it became known that they had abandoned their comrades, they wouldn’t be able to show their faces.

They might not be able to stay at Shinmu Academy any longer.

No one would seek guidance from an instructor who abandoned their comrades.

“Damn it. Nothing’s going right.”

Sweating profusely, the three men suddenly spotted someone leaning against a tree ahead.

‘Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi.’

Surprisingly, he was leaning there, smiling as if he had expected them.

“What’s this? You ran away in fear and now you’ve come to find us?”

“Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi.”

The instructors quickly approached and bowed to Cho Un-hwi.

“We admit our mistake.”

“That’s right. You were right.”

“Once again, we apologize.”

Swallowing their pride, they apologized first.

Honestly, it was something they never wanted to do.

It wasn’t easy for those from prestigious backgrounds to bow to a new instructor from a country sect.

“If words could fix everything, life would be easy.”

But what can you do?

Life isn’t that simple.

“Are you saying you won’t accept our apology?”

“You’re apologizing to the wrong person, you cold and strategic fools.”

As soon as his destructive mouth moved, one instructor frowned.

“We wanted to resolve this peacefully.”

“Resolving it peacefully is this much. I really hate men who show their backs.”

“You really!”

*Grab!*

Instructor Seo, raising his energy, grabbed his collar and tried to push him.

“Hehe. I like the immediate reaction.”

But surprisingly, Cho Un-hwi had already stepped back two steps and dodged his hand, shaking his left hand to deflect his wrist.

“Why use your mouth when you have good fists?”

“Gah!”

*Thud! Thud thud!*

Pulling his wrist and punching his solar plexus with ghostly precision, the instructor foamed at the mouth and collapsed.

*Swish! Thud thud!*

In an instant, the other instructor grabbed his solar plexus and fell, all in a matter of seconds.

The two instructors, who had been confident they could easily subdue the new instructor, were stunned.

‘Instructor Seo, a direct disciple of the Point Spear Sect, was taken down so easily?’

Thinking this, they suddenly remembered the incident from a while ago.

‘Was it not a coincidence that he took down the senior instructor?’

As the two men hesitated, Cho Un-hwi cracked his knuckles.

“What’s wrong? Does it seem off?”

“Were you hiding your skills?”

“Yes. But why? Are you planning to run away again?”

*Crack.*

Cracking his neck, Cho Un-hwi spoke chillingly.

“But what can you do? I have no intention of letting you go.”

*Crunch!*

With a lightning-fast strike, he broke the noses of the two instructors.

It was truly a lightning-fast move.

***

Seeing the instructors being dragged back with their eyes rolled back, Jang Cheol-sim clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“…Are you determined to eat your comrades alive?”

“It just happened.”

“tsk tsk.”

Seeing the three foaming at the mouth and unconscious, Jang Cheol-sim couldn’t find the words.

But seeing who came with him, he refrained from further questioning.

“Elder Wang Woo!”

Wang Woo, who had been protecting the stragglers, had joined them.

“Thanks to Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi, we were safe.”

If he hadn’t appeared when they were lost, it would have been dangerous.

With Wang Woo also supporting him, Jang Cheol-sim couldn’t help but swallow his concerns.

“It seems it will be difficult to force a return in this condition.”

“I agree. It doesn’t seem like we were the only ones ambushed.”

“We should send the disciples ahead and move separately to find the stragglers.”

As they were considering several options.

“Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim.”

Namgung Il-jun and a few members of the Azure Sky Hundred Sword Squad came running urgently.

***

“…We’re attracting a lot of attention.”

Feeling burdened by the gazes directed at them, Mo Yong So-hye kept fidgeting.

“It’s inevitable.”

Cho Un-hwi waved his hand nonchalantly.

“They’re probably feeling a sense of urgency from those they didn’t consider competitors.”

The instructor had always been regarded as lucky.

Seeing them perform so impressively, it was natural for others to be surprised.

“It’s not just that, is it?”

“That’s right. It’s not just us.”

Baek Ri Seol, trying to block the gazes directed at the instructor, pouted.

“The lionesses are targeting you, Instructor.”

“…Whether they’re lionesses or not, it’s true that many are looking at you with admiration.”

“Really?”

Eon Ho-seung chuckled.

“Well, it’s only natural. Anyone who saw the temporary instructor fight would be drooling.”

“…Yes. It seemed like you were born to fight.”

Even the usually quiet Im So-jeong nodded in agreement.

“Temporary Instructor, you didn’t use any flashy techniques. How did you kill them so easily?”

“It’s simple.”

Cho Un-hwi, tapping his sword sheath as if it were a chore, replied.

“If you cut someone’s throat with a blade, they die, whether they’re a master or a novice.”

“If it were that simple, who would learn martial arts?”

“It becomes simple when you get used to it.”

Instead of using martial arts on the enemy, just think about how to quickly and efficiently get rid of them.

“They were too confident in their martial arts. They kept showing off their Solar Yang Palm.”

But he was different.

“I hid my presence and stabbed them in the back while they were showing off.”

Don’t try to understand it now.

This is a matter of instinct.

“Using martial arts solely to kill the opponent is too bleak.”

Seeing the grinning instructor, everyone fell silent.

“Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi!”

Just then, Namgung Il-jun and the Azure Sky Hundred Sword Squad appeared with serious faces.

“I have a request for you.”