Chapter v14c15

A sharp, whistling sound sliced through the air, as menacing as a striking snake.

“That technique!”

Jang Hong, who had been dragged along – or so he claimed – stared, his eyes wide with recognition.

He hadn’t recognized the first three attacks, but he knew exactly who the fourth attacker was. He had experienced the man’s deadly skills firsthand, and the memory of his back being torn apart by that cursed sword still sent shivers down his spine.

‘Could it be… are they the ones?’

If so, it was a shocking revelation.

“Ryu-yeon, be careful! His techniques are vicious!”

Jang Hong shouted urgently.

**Serpent Venom Sword Whip!**

It was named for its sharp, venomous strikes, as deadly as a serpent’s fangs. But it was more than just a whip. It was a chain of dozens of short, sharp sword segments, linked together by a special cord, a weapon as unique as it was deadly. It was difficult to master, but in the right hands, it was a devastating weapon, capable of unleashing a whirlwind of unpredictable attacks. Its movements were fluid and deceptive, its strikes swift and merciless. Direct confrontation was suicide. To be caught in its venomous embrace was to face certain death.

‘His skills have become even more terrifying!’

The attacks were relentless, far more powerful than ten years ago. The attacker, who had been a mere boy back then, was now a formidable warrior, his youthful appearance replaced by a commanding presence. A decade had passed, a lifetime in the martial world. Jang Hong often thought that if he hadn’t been young and inexperienced back then, he might not have survived the encounter.

The attacker, frustrated by his three failed attempts, his attacks only managing to scar the surrounding trees and rocks, seemed to be getting angry. The sword whip, which had been dancing through the air like a venomous dragon, trembled, its energy surging. A white aura, like a swarm of snakes, enveloped the blade.

“Gasp! He’s going to use it!”

Jang Hong recognized the telltale signs. The technique that had left a permanent scar on his back, a technique as deadly as its name. A hundred snakes, capable of slaying even a dragon.

**Serpent Sword Secret Technique: Hundred Snakes Dragon Slayer!**

The deadly technique was unleashed, a whirlwind of energy and killing intent, engulfing Bi Ryu-yeon. It seemed like there was no escape this time. But Bi Ryu-yeon was too quick. He used the Phoenix Dance Secret Technique, Phoenix Wing Ascent, executing three lateral movements and four upward movements, slipping through the jaws of the serpent. The mudfish had outmaneuvered the snake.

The serpent uncoiled, its venom spent.

The attacker, his attack thwarted, joined the other three men, standing beside the First Young Master.

“Be careful! There are three more!”

Jang Hong warned, finally recognizing the attackers.

As if to confirm his words, another attack came.

A heavy, whistling sound, like a giant axe cleaving through the air. Even without seeing it, they could tell it was a powerful, destructive weapon.

‘What’s next?’

Bi Ryu-yeon was more curious than afraid.

‘Who are these people protecting him? And there are three more?’

He wouldn’t know their identities until the attacks stopped. And he wasn’t about to let them win so easily. He had to satisfy his curiosity.

This time, it was a heavy chain with a spiked ball attached to the end. It moved with surprising agility, as if it were alive. A man in brown robes, his head wrapped in a white cloth, his eyes fierce and his beard thick and unkempt, appeared.

‘Wait a minute! That’s…’

Bi Ryu-yeon’s gaze fixed on the man’s left hand. He was wielding the chain with his right hand, but in his left hand, he held a wicked-looking sickle, its blade gleaming. And the other end of the chain was attached to a ring at the base of the sickle’s handle.

It was a weapon he had never seen before. He didn’t know that it was a kusarigama, a weapon favored by the samurai of the island nation of Wa. But it didn’t matter what it was called. He had faced all kinds of weapons in his life, but none of them could match the speed, versatility, and range of the Biryu Swordsmanship. That was the pride of the Biryu Sect. His master had told him,

‘No ranged weapon can surpass the Biryu Swordsmanship. It encompasses all the possibilities of ranged combat.’

All he had to do was read the weapon’s range and timing. He could sense the direction of the attack from the subtle shifts in the air and his own intuition. And speed was never an issue. Once you got used to the speed of the Biryu Swordsmanship, everything else seemed slow and clumsy. That’s why he had been able to dodge the first four attacks so easily.

But the fifth attacker had a trick up his sleeve. It caught Bi Ryu-yeon off guard, as he had been focusing on dodging the chain.

Swish! Clank!

The sickle in the man’s left hand flashed, sending a cross-shaped blade of energy, or rather, sickle energy, flying towards him. And at the same time, the spiked ball at the end of the chain, which had been aiming for his back, somehow split into seven afterimages.

Seven projectiles, hurtling towards him from all directions. It was a remarkable display of skill, wielding such an unwieldy weapon with both hands.

A cross-shaped sickle energy in front, and a barrage of spiked balls from behind! He was trapped. His vision flashed gold, and time slowed down.

His solution was brute force. He bent at the waist, his back parallel to the ground. And as his back touched the ground, he kicked the sickle energy with his right foot.

Bang!

It was a suicidal move, but it worked. The sickle energy, deflected by his kick, flew harmlessly over his head. It was an impossible feat, defying all logic. And at the same time, he raised his left shoulder slightly.

The first spiked ball whizzed past his shoulder, followed by the second, missing him by a hair’s breadth.

He lowered his left hand and raised his right shoulder.

The third spiked ball passed under his raised shoulder, and the fourth passed over his lowered shoulder. But the fifth was aimed at his head, and he couldn’t dodge it with just a shoulder movement.

He calmly tilted his head back, the only possible evasion. The fifth spiked ball grazed his hair, passing between his legs. If he had been a fraction of a second slower, his head would have been crushed.

The sixth spiked ball aimed for his left leg, which was still planted on the ground. He lifted his left leg slightly, pivoting on his right foot. And then, in the next instant, the seventh spiked ball came flying towards his right shin. He didn’t have time to lower his left leg and raise his right leg.

As the seventh spiked ball was about to shatter his shin, he executed another impressive maneuver. He simply lifted his right leg as well, using his hands to support his weight. And then he pushed off the ground with his hands, flipping over and landing gracefully on his feet. The seven consecutive attacks from the chain and sickle had all missed.

It was a long sequence of movements, but it all happened in the blink of an eye.

He stood there, calm and composed, as if he hadn’t just faced a barrage of deadly attacks.

“Is that all?”

He asked mockingly, looking at the chain and sickle wielder, who was now standing beside the First Young Master. The man’s face was contorted in a grimace.

And then, as if to prove him wrong, the sixth attack came. It was silent and stealthy, unlike the previous five attacks, which had been loud and destructive. A thin, needle-like sword appeared out of thin air, aiming for his side, a ghostly apparition, its approach undetected. It was like a sword emerging from the mist. It wasn’t the sword of a warrior. It was the sword of an assassin. A master assassin.

An ordinary martial artist, even a highly skilled one, would have been caught off guard by such an unexpected attack. But not Bi Ryu-yeon. His sect believed that sneak attacks were the weapons of the weak. To fall victim to a sneak attack was to be weaker than the weakest, his master had said. He couldn’t allow himself to be dishonored in such a way. And he had trained accordingly. He had spent years defending himself against his master’s unpredictable sneak attacks.

At first, he had been helpless, a plaything in his master’s hands. He hadn’t been skilled enough to defend himself. He had even been robbed of all his earnings on numerous occasions. It was hard to believe, but it was true. And whenever his master was short on drinking money, a sneak attack was sure to follow. His master must have had informants keeping him updated on his side hustles.

He had to grit his teeth and endure. He had to protect his money. He couldn’t let this continue. So he trained relentlessly, determined to become strong enough to withstand his master’s attacks. Pleading with his heartless master was useless. It only bruised his ego.

There was only one solution: to become so strong that he was untouchable. It took years, but he eventually reached a point where he could hold his own against his master.

Compared to his master’s merciless sneak attacks, this attack was nothing. He deflected the sword with a hair’s breadth, then lunged at the assassin, who had vanished into thin air.

The assassin’s concealment technique, which allowed him to disappear without any cover, was remarkable, but it was no match for Bi Ryu-yeon’s keen eyes. He could see through the illusion, his gaze piercing the veil of invisibility. He sensed the assassin’s surprise. He hadn’t expected to be detected so easily.

Bi Ryu-yeon pointed his finger, and the assassin, abandoning his attack, reappeared, standing beside the First Young Master. He was dressed in black from head to toe, his face hidden behind a black mask, a true assassin. His clothes were tight-fitting, without any loose folds or knots, designed for stealth.

“One more to go!”

Jang Hong exclaimed excitedly. To withstand the attacks of these seven warriors would be a huge morale boost for the Cheonmu Academy and a humiliation for the Heavenly Demons Pavilion.

The final attack was flashy and seductive, but no less deadly.

Dozens of needles, trailing colorful threads, flew towards him, like a shower of multicolored rain. It was a beautiful sight, but the killing intent behind it was undeniable. But it was weaker than the previous six attacks. He dodged the needles effortlessly, his movements casual and relaxed. It lacked the persistence of the previous attacks. He had been expecting a grand finale, but it was a letdown.

A red figure leaped into the air, landing gracefully beside the First Young Master. It was a woman. She wore a revealing red silk dress that accentuated her curves, her every movement exuding a seductive charm. Her face was partially hidden behind a pale pink veil, but her eyes, visible through the veil, sparkled with a seductive light. Her gaze fixed on Bi Ryu-yeon, a silent challenge. Her deadliest weapon wasn’t her needles, but her eyes. Any man would melt under her gaze. It was a gaze honed through years of practice.

But what about Bi Ryu-yeon? Na Yerin watched him, curious. To her surprise, he met her gaze calmly, his expression unchanged.

The seven figures, standing protectively around the First Young Master, stared at Bi Ryu-yeon. He met their gazes defiantly.

And then, without a word, they turned and bowed to the First Young Master. They had more important things to do than fight Bi Ryu-yeon.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Master.”

They said in unison, their voices respectful. The First Young Master nodded in acknowledgment.

‘So that’s the mysterious First Young Master, Bi?’

Jang Hong watched the scene with a keen eye. Information about the First Young Master was scarce, shrouded in secrecy. He was so enigmatic that he was known simply as “Bi,” his real name unknown.

(Tln: in korean Bi can mysterious or hidden so ye its not his name)

But even so, to see seven warriors, each as skilled as the Nine Dragons of Cheonmu, bowing so respectfully… They were like servants greeting their master.

‘The Heavenly Demons Seven… I’ve heard rumors, but I didn’t expect them to be this powerful…’

His sharp eyes detected the unwavering loyalty and obedience that emanated from them.

‘The First Young Master, Bi… He’s definitely someone to watch out for.’

He made a mental note to be wary of the First Young Master.