Chapter 94: Supplementary Lesson (2)

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

The icy wind howled in his ears as he raced through the mountain path.

Chui Geol-gae sighed, his mind racing.

‘I was too naive.’

When he first discovered the Blood Tear Stone, he thought he had won.

He had figured out the Heavenly Destruction Society’s plan, so all he had to do was exploit their weaknesses.

But he had been wrong.

The enemy was far more deeply embedded than he had imagined.

*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*

He heard a voice beside him.

“…I think they’re closing in.”

“Hmm?”

He was right.

He sensed several figures stealthily pursuing them. And they weren’t just coming from behind. They were surrounding him, like hunters closing in on their prey.

“Damn it, this is bad.”

Chui Geol-gae regretted his carelessness.

‘I shouldn’t have let my guard down.’

It had been a mistake to visit the Murim Alliance branch after meeting with the old man.

He had arrived in Buhyeon, a small town, and used the branch’s carrier pigeon to send a message about the Blood Tear Stone.

And that’s when the assassins had come for him.

They had come in various disguises.

Some were servants working at the branch, others were old men collecting laundry.

Some were ordinary people with no martial arts skills, while others were hiding their formidable strength.

Chui Geol-gae, sensing danger, had fled immediately, but they had pursued him relentlessly.

‘This is a disaster. I should have realized that they weren’t ignoring me, they just couldn’t find me.’

He had been lucky to wander the wilderness, searching for the old man after obtaining the Blood Tear Stone.

They hadn’t been able to track him.

But the moment he mentioned the Blood Tear Stone at the Murim Alliance branch, they had found him.

This meant only one thing.

‘The Heavenly Destruction Society’s agents are deeply embedded in the Alliance.’

He had been foolish to think that the previous bloodshed had ended everything.

“Stop!”

Chui Geol-gae came to a halt.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

The fallen leaves swirled around him, drawn towards the darkness ahead.

He shouted, “Who’s there?! Show yourselves!”

After a moment…

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

A dozen masked figures emerged from the darkness, blocking his path.

And they weren’t just in front of him.

Several more masked figures had appeared behind him, cutting off his escape route.

There were almost twenty of them.

Chui Geol-gae gritted his teeth, looking at the assassins who weren’t even bothering to conceal their killing intent.

“You scoundrels! You’re working for the Heavenly Destruction Society, aren’t you?!”

“You talk too much for an old beggar.”

One of the masked figures stepped forward.

He sneered, “We’re the ones who should be angry. You’re not worthy of possessing what you took. You deserve to die just for touching it with your filthy hands.”

“You’re here for the Blood Tear Stone, aren’t you?”

“Blood Tear Stone? You seem to know a little something, but…”

The man’s voice was filled with madness.

“…what you’re holding is not something you can call by such a trivial name. It’s a precious treasure that will usher in a new era, a key to our Society’s ambitions.”

“Hmph! What’s so special about this pebble?”

The man’s voice turned cold.

“Ignorant fools like you wouldn’t understand the value of such a treasure.”

“What value could there be in something created through human sacrifice?! I don’t know what you’re planning to do with it, but…”

“I can hear your thoughts from here.”

“You bastard! What are you talking about?”

“You’d better give up on trying to extract information from me.”

*Snap!*

He snapped his fingers, and another masked figure stepped forward, scattering something into the air.

“Damn it.”

“The Murim Alliance won’t come to your rescue, no matter how long you stall. We’ve intercepted all your secret messages.”

Chui Geol-gae’s face contorted in anger.

‘How much do they know about the Alliance’s secrets?’

It had been a frustrating conversation, but it hadn’t been entirely fruitless.

“I know one thing now. Your identity.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Jang Deuk, the Ten Thousand Blades Sword of the Buhyeon branch. I didn’t know the deputy branch leader had become a dog of the Heavenly Destruction Society.”

“Grrr…”

The man ripped off his mask.

“You have good ears, old beggar. That’s another reason for you to die.”

He shouted, “Kill!”

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Killing intent surged towards Chui Geol-gae from all directions.

He glanced at the old man, who was panting from using his movement technique.

‘He can’t keep up with my movement technique, can he?’

It couldn’t be helped. He was one of the fastest martial artists in the world.

‘There’s no escaping this.’

He might be able to escape, but the exhausted old man wouldn’t be able to outrun their blades.

He couldn’t abandon the man who had come out of seclusion to help him, even if it meant risking their lives.

‘I have to attack first.’

He needed to buy some time for the old man to escape.

He sensed the killing intent closing in from all sides.

“Get back!”

He spread his arms wide.

*Hummm…*

He flicked his wrists, and his palms glowed, forming the shape of a pale blue dragon.

*Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.*

*First Stance, Dragon Play.*

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Countless palm strikes erupted around him, surging towards the masked figures.

*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*

“Haa!”

“Cha!”

The assassins deflected his attacks with their swords, twisting their bodies to avoid his strikes.

And then, Chui Geol-gae’s stance changed. He leaped into the air, unleashing a flurry of palm strikes in all directions.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The ground exploded as his powerful palm strikes rained down from the sky.

“Cough!”

Two masked figures were sent flying, crashing to the ground headfirst.

They lay there, coughing up blood.

Jang Deuk gritted his teeth.

“Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms? It lives up to its reputation.”

“It’s the perfect antidote for those who practice demonic arts.”

“Hmph! We’ll see how long you can last.”

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Before he could finish his sentence, more masked figures charged at him, their swords flashing.

Chui Geol-gae’s hands moved rapidly as he felt their chilling sword Qi targeting him.

*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*

He deflected their attacks with his palm strikes.

*Rumble!*

He channeled his internal energy, preparing for another attack.

But this time, it wasn’t so easy.

“Retreat!”

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

The masked figures retreated as his palm strikes surged towards them.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

His palm strikes hit the empty space, sending plumes of dust into the air.

“Attack!”

They charged through the dust cloud.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Their movements were so fast that Chui Geol-gae broke out in a cold sweat.

‘This isn’t easy.’

His clothes were torn in several places by their sword strikes. He changed his movement technique.

*Drunken Eight Immortals Steps.*

The gait of a drunken immortal.

He swayed like a drunkard, dodging their attacks.

*Spin!*

He ducked under a sword strike aimed at his back and unleashed another palm strike.

*Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.*

*Fifth Stance, Dragon in the Heavens.*

“Gah!”

A masked figure was sent flying, crashing into a tree.

He didn’t get up again.

But that was as far as he could go.

“Beggar! This is your grave!”

Jang Deuk, who had been silent, flicked his sword upwards, aiming for Chui Geol-gae’s head with a unified sword and body.

“Cha!”

Chui Geol-gae roared, swinging his arms to unleash the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, but then he noticed the smirk on Jang Deuk’s face.

‘Something’s wrong.’

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

He quickly retracted his attack and retreated eight steps, using the Drunken Eight Immortals Steps.

It was a timely decision.

*Whoosh!*

Flames erupted from Jang Deuk’s sword, scorching the spot where he had been standing.

Chui Geol-gae exclaimed, “What technique is that?!”

“Hehe, do you recognize it, beggar?”

His eyes widened as he saw the white-hot sword, radiating intense heat.

“The Sun God Technique?”

“Hehe, you have a good eye.”

It was really the Sun God Technique.

It was the signature martial art of the Sun Demon Lord, who had terrorized the Murim alongside the Blood Demon when the Demonic Cult was divided.

“Well, it’s understandable that you’re surprised. This isn’t the Sun God Technique of the past.”

“…The Sun God Technique is a supremely yang demonic art. No one in their right mind would try to improve it.”

Unlike righteous martial arts, which were built upon principles and logic, demonic arts amplified madness and converted it into power.

They focused on suppressing one’s humanity and accumulating power, so even a grandmaster wouldn’t dare to tamper with them.

Jang Deuk chuckled.

“Our ‘Apostle’ has made the impossible possible.”

“Apostle, you say…”

“Enough talk! Die!”

*Whoosh!*

Jang Deuk’s attack, enhanced by the power of flames, made it even more difficult for Chui Geol-gae to fight.

If he approached, his beard would be singed by the heat. If he retreated, the masked figures would attack him from behind.

*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*

*Boom! Boom! Thud!*

His hands and their swords clashed, creating a cacophony of sounds.

“Haha! The Drunken Beggar’s reputation precedes him, but you look pathetic now!”

Jang Deuk shouted triumphantly.

“You bastard! You’re blinded by your demonic art! Don’t you fear heaven?!”

“Heaven is our ‘Apostle,’ so what is there to fear?”

“Grrr!”

Chui Geol-gae roared and fought back desperately.

But he was outnumbered and outmatched. He couldn’t hold out against Jang Deuk’s flame technique and the relentless attacks of the twenty masked figures.

*Slash!*

“Gah!”

He was finally struck on the shoulder and stumbled back.

“Hehe, is it over?”

“What are you talking about? This beggar is just getting started.”

“Beggars are said to be able to live even when they’re starving. You’re full of empty boasts.”

*Whoosh!*

Jang Deuk raised his sword, ready to finish him off.

“Elder Chui, step back.”

The old man, who had been watching the fight, stood up, drawing his sword.

Chui Geol-gae’s eyes widened.

“Master, there’s no need for you to…”

“I’ve recovered most of my internal energy. I’ll help you.”

Chui Geol-gae couldn’t argue.

He had been recommended by Seok Gang-myeong, and he was a renowned swordsman, but…

He had been away from the Murim for too long.

‘He didn’t even have enough internal energy to use his movement technique on the way here.’

As he was hesitating, the old man chuckled.

“There’s no turning back now, is there?”

“…I’m sorry. If I hadn’t been so stubborn…”

He felt guilty for dragging the old man into this dangerous situation.

But the old man shook his head, his expression unchanged.

“Hehe, don’t worry. It was my decision to come with you. There’s no need to apologize.”

“…I’ll fight to the death and create an opening for you. It’s not too late for you to escape.”

“I might have been away from the Murim for a long time, but it seems my fighting spirit is still alive. My heart is racing at the sound of clashing swords. If my heart is still beating, then my sword is still sharp.”

Seeing his determination, Chui Geol-gae couldn’t refuse.

“Alright, Brother Wang.”

“Brother Wang?”

“We need to be brothers, so we won’t have any regrets even if we die.”

“I guess you’re right. I never thought I’d gain a brother on the verge of death.”

Jang Deuk frowned, looking at the old man who had suddenly appeared.

‘Who is he? He looks familiar.’

But he quickly dismissed his concern.

They might have arrived in a hurry, but everyone here was a peak-level master.

Even a transcendent-level master wouldn’t be able to escape death with only two people.

“If you want to die early, so be it. I’ll send you both to hell.”

The masked figures charged at them.