Chapter v16c17

“Who are you?” Yong Cheon-myeong demanded, his voice sharp, addressing the silver-masked figure who had suddenly appeared before them.

“Me?” A voice, as if emanating from the depths of a dark abyss, a voice that seemed to crush their very souls, emerged from behind the mask.

“My name is Fear. I crawl out from the darkness in your heart and devour your soul! That is my name.”

Yong Cheon-myeong fought to keep his hand from trembling as he asked, “And what brings you here?”

The silver-masked figure replied, “I have come to drive hope from your hearts and fill them with despair!”

“Just you alone?”

Further conversation was unnecessary, unwanted. At Yong Cheon-myeong’s signal, all members of Group 2 drew their weapons and surrounded the figure, determined to silence those arrogant words. Fear? They were no longer children, but trained warriors.

“Battles are not won by numbers! Overconfidence in your numbers will lead to your downfall.”

Despite being surrounded, no one dared to make the first move. An invisible pressure held them captive, their bones and flesh seemingly bound by an unseen force.

“Tsk, tsk, if you won’t come to me, I’ll come to you.”

Their eyes widened in horror. With each casual step the silver-masked figure took, another identical figure appeared.

“Cl-Clones!” Yong Cheon-myeong gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief.

By the eighth step, there were as many silver-masked figures as there were members of Group 2.

“Now it’s one-on-one.”

Nine clones!

The nine silver-masked figures had positioned themselves flawlessly, flanking the members of Group 2, who stood frozen, paralyzed by shock. An invisible web seemed to have ensnared their very souls. With a flick of the wrist, the silver-masked figure sent their weapons flying, their wrists aching, their palms tingling. They stared, dumbfounded, at the overwhelming display of power, questioning if this was even humanly possible.

“Oh dear, your swords are your lifelines. How can you let go of them so easily? How can you call yourselves swordsmen, warriors, if you cannot even hold onto your own weapons?”

No one could refute the accusation, but that didn’t mean they weren’t angered by it.

“We have fists, even without swords!”

Several members bravely charged at the silver-masked figures, fists and palms flying. A faint smile appeared on the figure’s lips. Were they finally providing some entertainment? With another flick of the wrist, the figure sent them crashing to the ground.

“Argh!”

Seven screams, each more agonizing than the last, filled the air, sounds that seemed to belong in the depths of hell rather than the mortal realm. The seven figures, frozen mid-motion, crumpled to the ground like rotten wood.

It had all happened so quickly. Eight steps, just eight steps, and it was over.

Only Yong Cheon-myeong and Ma Ha-ryeong remained. Yong Cheon-myeong drew his Jade Buddha Sword and unleashed the first move of the Dharma Three Swords. A blinding sword light, like the radiance of Buddha, shot towards the figure. The silver-masked figure raised his sword and effortlessly deflected the attack. His voice, laced with disapproval, echoed through the air.

“Tsk, tsk, the Buddhist sword should be based on serenity and compassion… Your heart is turbulent like the sea, your sword filled with killing intent. How can you expect it to reach its full potential? To wield the Jade Buddha Sword with such skill is an insult to the sword itself.”

“H-How do you know that?!” Yong Cheon-myeong was stunned by the accuracy of the assessment.

“Shut up!”

Ma Ha-ryeong, unable to bear the sight of Yong Cheon-myeong’s hesitation, charged at the figure, her saber flashing. And the next moment, she screamed and collapsed.

A fierce wind swept through the forest, not a natural wind, but a wind generated by pure human power. The small, silver-masked figure had appeared like a storm, effortlessly defeating five warriors.

They were no match for him. He toyed with them, treating them like children.

Group 11’s attacks were useless. They couldn’t even touch him. An invisible force surrounded him, deflecting their swords and sabers. And with a flick of his finger, he could send them flying. An invisible hand played with them, tossing them around like rag dolls. And each strike was infused with a powerful spiral force, shredding their clothes to pieces.

Their sleeves were the first to go, ripped apart in a spiral pattern, then their entire bodies. They were lucky to be left with rags instead of being completely naked.

“W-Who are you?”

The speaker, a man with a scar on his face, was So-yu’s senior brother. But even his usually stoic face was contorted with fear. His junior brother was lying on the ground, unconscious.

“My name is Despair! I am the endless swamp that swallows hope and crushes the human spirit! That is my name.”

The silver-masked figure’s voice was terrifying.

The attacks continued, and Group 1 wasn’t spared. But this time, it happened while Young Master Bi and Chu Myeong, the Sword Demon, were away.

“Oh dear, they’re short-handed. What a shame!”

The voice was filled with mock disappointment, like a child who had lost a toy. The speaker was a woman, her body radiating a blood-red aura of hostility, her face half-hidden behind a silver mask.

“Who the hell are you?”

Oh Mun-chu, one of the Five Stars of the Heavenly Demon, had sealed his fate with those words. He would pay dearly for his insolence. The silver-masked woman flicked her wrist, and his world turned upside down as an irresistible force slammed his head into the ground.

Thud!

The sound of his head hitting the ground was so loud that it was a miracle it didn’t shatter like a watermelon.

“Oh my, you have to be careful what you say. Words can have consequences.”

Jong-ri Chu, another member of Group 1, wielding the Seven Chain Spears, attacked the intruder, his spears flashing in a continuous barrage. Do Chu-un, the Three Absolute Swords, joined the attack, his sword dancing around the silver-masked woman. Their teamwork was flawless, their spear and sword techniques weaving a deadly tapestry. But their attacks passed through her, as if she were a phantom. They were attacking an illusion.

She was like a mirage, a wisp of smoke. Even Namgung Sang and Jin-ryeong joined the attack, but she kept reappearing, no matter how many times they cut her down. She vanished like mist and reappeared, her form as elusive as fog over the sea.

“G-Ghost!”

They retreated in terror. She couldn’t be killed. What else could she be but a ghost? A voice, filled with annoyance, echoed from the air.

“A ghost? Have you ever seen such a beautiful and elegant ghost?”

“Eek! A real ghost!”

They trembled. No-hak was terrified. He hated ghosts. Jin-ryeong was also afraid. Her face was pale.

“Calling a living person a ghost… You need to be punished.”

She flicked her wrist, and they all collapsed, screaming in pain. It was a pathetically one-sided fight. Only Dokgo Ryeong remained standing.

“Oh my, what a cute little girl!” The blood-soaked woman said, clapping her hands gleefully.

There was someone else with worse fashion sense than Yeomdo… And she smelled like blood.

“Can you provide me with some entertainment? I’ll be very sad if you’re as weak as those children.”

Her voice was childish, petulant.

Dokgo Ryeong attacked with all her might, unleashing the Flying Thousand Li, the ultimate technique of the Crimson Rainbow Sword. Thirty-six sword lights, shaped like geese, shot towards the woman. It was a far cry from her previous limit of twelve.

“Excellent move! But it’s not enough to stop me.”

The silver-masked woman flicked her sword, and the thirty-six sword lights were drawn towards her, as if pulled into a cage, their power neutralized. Dokgo Ryeong was stunned. She couldn’t believe her attack had been so easily defeated.

“It’s flashy, but your heart isn’t in it… Your doubts, your anxieties, they’re all showing. Are you in love?”

“W-What makes you say that?!” Dokgo Ryeong’s face flushed.

“Why are you denying it? The sword doesn’t lie. Your turmoil is reflected in your swordsmanship. How can you expect to wield a true sword without achieving a calm and clear mind?”

“H-How do you know about the Calm and Clear Mind?”

But the silver-masked woman ignored her question, continuing her lecture.

“Without a clear mind, the sword cannot reach its full potential. Like this.”

She thrust her branch forward. It was impossible to read her movements. It was like facing an empty void. The sword light was already at her forehead.

But then, dozens of leaves, sharp as throwing knives, shot towards the woman from the side. She was forced to dodge, abandoning her attack. It had all happened in the blink of an eye.

Dokgo Ryeong and the silver-masked woman turned to see where the leaves had come from. Young Master Bi and Chu Myeong, the Sword Demon, were standing there.

“Who are you?” Young Master Bi asked.

“Me? My name is Sorrow! I was born from the sea of sighs, and I lead people to the swamp of despair!”

The woman’s demeanor had changed. She radiated an aura of power, unlike her previous playful self.

“This might be more interesting now that you have reinforcements.”

She didn’t seem threatened by the two newcomers. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying herself, like a child who had been given more toys to play with.

“Will this be more interesting?”

A voice came from the opposite side of the forest, and Bi Ryu-yeon emerged from the shadows. What was he doing in Group 1’s territory?

“How did you get here?” Dokgo Ryeong asked, surprised.

“Are you alright?”

Na Yerin appeared, her voice filled with concern. Yi Jin-seol was beside her.

“But I thought you said it was a man?”

Oh Bi-wan stepped out of the shadows, followed by Jang Hong, Hyo-ryong, Yoon Jun-ho, and Gyo-ok. The only member of Group 7 missing was Wi Ji-cheon, who had been acting like a zombie since the Water and Fire Trial. They had left him behind. There were also two others: Hyun Woon and Mo Yong Hwi. They had all encountered the silver-masked figures, but they had survived.

“What brings you here?” Chu Myeong asked, his voice gruff. He was still as unfriendly as ever.

“There’s something strange going on in these mountains. A group of unidentified individuals has been attacking people.”

“Attacking people?”

“No one’s been killed yet, so I’m calling it ‘attacking.'” Jang Hong replied.

“No one’s been killed?”

“No, don’t worry about those people lying on the ground. They’re just unconscious.” Na Yerin reassured Dokgo Ryeong.

“They fainted from shock.”

“I thought they were dead too… But they were all alive when I checked on them. I thought I had seen ghosts.” Hyun Woon added.

“It’s good that they’re not killing anyone, but there’s a problem…”

“A problem?”

“They’re stealing the Heavenly Law Tokens from the people they attack.”

Losing your token meant disqualification from the Earth Trial.

“It seems like they’re trying to collect all the tokens. But they’re so strong that we can’t defeat them on our own. So we decided to work together. We need to unite against this unknown threat. That’s why we’re here. The other groups have agreed to join forces. Only Group 1 remains. We’d like to hear your decision.”

Jang Hong explained the situation. It was an interesting proposition. Dokgo Ryeong had to admit that she was outmatched. The silver-masked figures were far too powerful.

“But I thought you said it was a man? The witnesses said it was a man.” Bi Ryu-yeon said, staring at the silver-masked woman, his brow furrowed. The figure in front of him was definitely wearing a silver mask, and she was incredibly strong, but she didn’t look like a man.

“A man?!”

The silver-masked woman’s voice trembled with rage.

“Have you ever seen a man with such a beautiful, elegant, and perfectly sculpted body?”

She struck a pose, emphasizing her curves. It was a tasteful display, not vulgar. Several men nodded in agreement. She did have a nice figure.

“You must work hard to maintain your figure.” Bi Ryu-yeon said, impressed.

“Of course! I only eat healthy food, I get regular massages, I avoid the sun, and I exercise every day. I’d say eighty percent of my cultivation is dedicated to maintaining my figure.”

She said it with pride, as if it were a great accomplishment.

“Oh, I see! That’s the secret to your amazing figure.”

“Good, boy! I’ll let you off the hook today because you have good taste. And you, little girl! I expect a better performance next time. Tell your boyfriend the same. He seems interesting!”

“He’s not my boyfriend!”

Young Master Bi and Dokgo Ryeong denied it vehemently.

“Hmm, if you say so…”

“You came here as you pleased, but you won’t leave as you please!” Jang Hong declared. There were too many unanswered questions. The woman chuckled.

“Do you think you can stop me with a few more bodies? I’m leaving because I’m bored, little boy. I can come and go as I please. You’re a hundred years too early to stop me!”

She unleashed a wave of sword Qi, and everyone scrambled to defend themselves, thinking they were under attack. But the sword Qi vanished before it reached them.

“Huh…?”

They looked around, confused.

“It was killing intent! She created an illusion of being attacked by swords with her killing intent.” Jang Hong said, his voice strained. To think she could do that with just her killing intent… It was terrifying.

“Tsk!”

Bi Ryu-yeon muttered, rubbing his tingling hand. She had used a real attack on him, while everyone else had seen an illusion. He knew it. The tingling sensation was proof.

“Was that a warning…?”

It was a smart move. He had been so focused on blocking her attack that he had missed his chance to pursue her. She had used her sword Qi to restrict his movements. He had to admire her skill, even though she was his enemy. But there was something that bothered him.

*…This feeling?*

He couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity. Who was she?

He was lost in thought, so preoccupied that he didn’t even notice something falling from his waist. There were too many mysteries, too many unanswered questions. He snapped out of his thoughts when someone called his name.

“Hmm?”

Young Master Bi, who had been watching Bi Ryu-yeon’s group from a distance, noticed something on the ground and picked it up.

“This is…”

It was a Heavenly Law Token, as valuable as life itself in the Earth Trial. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he saw the name on it.