Chapter 821: The Young Cult Leader is the Root of All My Problems

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Sword King was deeply moved. It was a touching moment he hadn't expected. Geom Woojin had blown away the wall for his sake.

He had been worrying about the second-floor wall during the lightning-fast exchange. The Sword King realized once again just how amazing Geom Woojin was.

Of course, destroying the wall wasn't just for him. It was a message to fight without worrying about anything else.

The Sword King politely clasped his hands and paid his respects to Geom Woojin. "Thank you for your consideration."

Geom Woojin nodded as if it were nothing.

Hwa Mugi silently stared at the gaping hole in the second-floor wall. He was smiling, but his expression was slightly different than before.

He had come knowing this place held significance for them. He had fought using only basic martial arts, avoiding the unique techniques of the Divine Sword Martial Emperor or the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord, specifically to exploit that wall.

To think he'd blow it away himself? He really isn't an easy opponent.

Meanwhile, Jin Paecheon stopped the bleeding from his injured shoulder and arm. He had been cut in a literal instant and keenly experienced the truth that a single moment separates life and death.

After checking his wounds, he walked over to Geom Woojin and Baek Jagang.

"I caused you unnecessary worry."

Jin Paecheon didn't stubbornly insist on fighting further. Knowing when to retreat is often more difficult than knowing when to advance, and he understood this. It was time for him to step back.

Geom Woojin nodded, just glad he was safe. "That was magnificent martial arts."

The fight had been fought solely with swords and basic skills, yet, it was a fiercer and more incredible battle than one where countless streams of sword qi and enhanced qi ran rampant.

Baek Jagang conveyed his feelings more honestly. "Honestly, I was worried."

In the past, he would have certainly thought he was being looked down upon. Now, however, those words didn't sound unpleasant.

"Thank you." Jin Paecheon accepted the sentiment. He had to thank someone who worried about him.

Hwa Mugi didn't just watch Jin Paecheon leave. Since the Gentleman Sword was still in Jin Paecheon's hand, he provoked him again. "You intend to end it like this? The Murim Alliance Chairman barely survived with the help of others. Aren't you ashamed?"

Jin Paecheon calmly accepted the mockery and returned the Gentleman Sword to its scabbard. "You're right. I am deeply ashamed."

He admitted it honestly, but he felt no psychological blow. Instead, he felt relieved. He had done enough.

If he survived and looked back on today in a few days, he would undoubtedly feel regret. He would think about how he should have used a different technique or responded differently. He would even lose sleep over how he should have replied to the Celestial Killer Star.

Right now, however, he had absolutely no regrets. He might have been able to fight better, but he knew he couldn't have fought well enough to kill Hwa Mugi.

This was his best. Since he had fought with all his effort, there was nothing to regret.

Just then, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, who had been listening, intervened. "What is there to be ashamed of? The shame should be on that guy over there. Chairman Jin is letting it slide because he's a gentle person, like a nobleman. You're using the martial arts and inner qi of several people. You're the one who should be ashamed for using all that. If you use only one person's martial arts and one person's worth of inner qi, then I'll acknowledge you."

Hwa Mugi laughed as he looked at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. His eyes held a killing intent that promised death, but the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader didn't care at all.

"You should consider yourself lucky the Young Cult Leader isn't here. If he were, a coward like you would've already collapsed from a fit of rage."

Everyone listening agreed with the mention of a fit of rage.

Just then, one person stepped forward.

"Please give me the opportunity this time," the Sword King said. Since the Cult Leader had released his restrictions, he wanted to fight to his heart's content.

Geom Woojin stared at him for a moment before nodding. He trusted the man named Ak Gunhak, vaguely believing he must have his reasons for stepping forward.

Indeed, the Sword King hadn't stepped forward out of a competitive spirit. He didn't overestimate his skills. Knowing he couldn't handle Hwa Mugi alone, he asked one person for help.

"Would you watch my back one more time?"

His partner was none other than the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, the man who had stepped forward to save him earlier.

"Since you use formless enhanced qi and my martial arts also have formless qi, we should match well."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had also seen in Jin Paecheon's fight that killing Hwa Mugi alone was by no means an easy task.

Geom Woojin had clearly stated his will earlier. They were not to think about honor or face in this fight. Only winning mattered.

"There are many souls in him and only one of me, but I suppose I should help." Mocking Hwa Mugi once more, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stepped forward.

Geom Woojin requested one thing from the Sword King. "Don't forget your promise."

It was the promise to stay by Geom Mugeuk's side and help him. In other words, he was telling him not to die.

"Yes, I won't forget."

The Sword King had stepped forward partly out of a personal desire to fight, but a more important reason was to reduce Hwa Mugi's inner qi as much as possible. Only then would the final fighter have a chance of winning.

The Sword King sent a telepathic message to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. [It would be good if we could kill him, but if that's not feasible, I think we must at least make him exhaust his qi.]

[I think that's a wise choice.]

Just then, Jin Paecheon, who was watching, spoke to the Sword King. "Please be careful."

The Sword King slightly bowed his head to Jin Paecheon, conveying his gratitude.

Watching Jin Paecheon take special care of the Sword King, Baek Jagang thought to himself.

Even if you give him the Gentleman Sword from your waist, he's already a person who has left.

This was separate from Geom Woojin speaking as if he had already won him over.

Judging by his earlier desire to protect the second-floor wall, he was completely Geom Mugeuk's person.

Well, perhaps that loyalty made him even more desirable.

His ponytail swaying, the Sword King walked forward. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stood one step behind him.

Of course, fighting together didn't mean they would be twice as strong. If they hadn't practiced combined techniques, they could actually hinder each other. They would have to react instinctively and fight well in the moment.

Hwa Mugi crossed his arms and spoke arrogantly. "By whose permission? Do you think I'll fight just because you say you will?"

BAM!

He swung his sword, blocking the formless enhanced qi that flew silently toward him.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Hwa Mugi blocked the successive waves of formless enhanced qi while standing perfectly still. He deflected the powerful attacks without retreating a single step.

The one who had fired the formless enhanced qi was the Sword King.

"Still don't feel like fighting?"

It was impossible to tell from Hwa Mugi's expression if he was angry. However, his killing intent had certainly grown stronger.

"There isn't a single one of you that I like."

Among those he disliked, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader would be sad to rank second, so he couldn't hold back this time either.

"If everyone around you is like that, maybe the problem is you?"

Hwa Mugi laughed and nodded. "From now on, it'll be a problem for all of us."

SWISH!

He rushed not at the Sword King, but at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. That mouth was apparently more annoying than the enhanced qi that had just flown at him.

The black sword cut through the air, as fast as light.

PAAANG!

Human-shaped dolls instantly appeared, blocking the path between the two.

This was the Shadow Illusion Human Wall, a technique from the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's unique martial art, the Uncanny Blood Demon Art.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOOM!

Hwa Mugi pushed forward, cutting down the doll-shaped obstacles in his way. Though they weren't meant to be cut down so easily, they vanished like smoke—poof, poof—before his black sword.

Suddenly, the Sword King was standing behind the dolls.

"I'll go first!"

The Sword King tried to lead the fight, not because he considered himself stronger than the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, but due to the compatibility of their martial arts, it wasn't easy for the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader to face Hwa Mugi.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader fought with his bare hands, but Hwa Mugi's sword was too fast and powerful. Since Hwa Mugi closed the distance instantly and stabbed with his sword, facing him bare-handed was incredibly difficult. It would be hard enough just to block.

That was why the Sword King stepped forward first.

Realizing it no longer mattered if the building was destroyed, he immediately unleashed his unique martial art, the Divine Formless Sword Technique, First Technique, Formless Void.

WHIIIIIIIRL!

As the Sword King thrust his sword, a tornado raged toward Hwa Mugi.

PAPAPAPAPAPAK!

A tornado of tremendous enhanced qi twisted around Hwa Mugi's body. Normally, his flesh and bones should have been torn apart and scattered by the vortex, but his defensive enhanced qi turned the tornado into a mere spring breeze.

SWISH! THUD!

In that state, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's palm technique struck Hwa Mugi's body.

Hwa Mugi withstood both attacks as if to show off. In that moment, he truly looked like a monster.

SWISH!

He escaped the tornado in an instant.

"Careful!" the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader shouted.

By the time his shout reached the Sword King, though, Hwa Mugi was already in front of him, thrusting his black sword.

The enhanced qi Hwa Mugi sent flying through space was no ordinary sword qi. It was the third technique of the Shining Sun Sword Technique, the Shining Sun Pierces Heaven.

ROAAAAR!

A tremendous blast of fiery enhanced qi, hot enough to melt anything and unblockable by normal means, exploded toward the Sword King.

WHOOSH!

However, a pitch-black space appeared in front of the Sword King, instantly sucking in the flying flames. He had countered with the Divine Formless Sword Technique, Third Technique, Formless Counter.

ROAAAAR!

Another space burst open, spitting the absorbed flames back at Hwa Mugi.

ROAAAAAAAR! CHWAAAAAK!

Hwa Mugi took the intense heat directly, then split the hot flames he had created and pushed forward through them, thrusting his sword with terrifying momentum.

CLANG!

The Sword King raised his inner qi to the limit to block, but a shock strong enough to snap his wrist rushed up his arm. Even though he had braced for it, he couldn't get used to the impact.

And such attacks next poured down like rain.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

As the two exchanged sword blows too fast for the eye to see, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader waited anxiously for an opportunity. He couldn't intervene. The two swordsmen changed positions several times in the blink of an eye.

For now, the Sword King did the best he could, but with every exchange, he felt the same sensation.

I can't win.

Hwa Mugi was fast and strong, with absolutely no gaps in his technique. He felt like he was fighting a massive wall.

Moreover, the innate killing intent Hwa Mugi exuded made the extreme battle even more difficult. The flow of natural qi itself was affected by that killing intent, which had now far exceeded human limits.

BAM!

Eventually, the Sword King couldn't withstand Hwa Mugi's fierce attacks. Blocking a powerful blow, the Sword King flew back and slammed into the wall and vomited a mouthful of blood. He had finally suffered internal injuries from continuously blocking the powerful attacks.

Is it because his killing intent has grown stronger?

Somehow, Hwa Mugi was stronger than when he had faced Jin Paecheon. He was getting stronger with time!

SWISH!

Hwa Mugi immediately rushed in as if to finish off the Sword King, but the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader blocked his path.

SHASHASHASHASHASHAK!

Dozens of blue lines cut through the air and flew toward Hwa Mugi from all directions. This was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's Blue Thread Blood Net of the Uncanny Blood Demon Art, a technique that could slice through a human body with a mere graze.

PAPAPAPAK!

Hwa Mugi rammed the lines with his body, protected by his defensive enhanced qi. None of the threads cut him.

SWISH!

Hwa Mugi continued pushing forward.

PLOP!

Just then, a small dot appeared in the air and suddenly grew large.

WHIRRRRRRR!

A black hole pulled at Hwa Mugi, but he didn't get sucked in. He held his ground by using the Thousand Pound Smash.

He was enduring the Death Vortex, a technique from the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's Uncanny Blood Demon Art, purely with strength.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was truly astonished. He knew one could break the Death Vortex after falling into it, but he didn't know one could withstand it with sheer strength. Gritting his teeth, he gathered all of his inner qi and unleashed a palm technique.

SWISH! THUD!

Despite the impact, Hwa Mugi walked forward instead of being sucked in.

THUD! THU-UD!

As if to show that nothing could stop him, he approached one step at a time, like a nightmare on a summer night.

WHIRRRRRRR…

The Death Vortex pulled at him more strongly from behind, but he continued to walk forward.

Finally, Hwa Mugi arrived right in front of the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. He was likely approaching this way on purpose, annoyed by the constant taunts and daring him to chatter again.

Still, even though Hwa Mugi was close enough to pierce his heart with a single thrust, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader didn't dodge. He knew that the moment Hwa Mugi attacked…

SHWIIIIK!

As expected.

The White Flower Sword cut across the air, intercepting the black sword. The Sword King, despite his internal injuries, had dramatically recovered.

CLANG! WHIRRRRR! POP!

Hwa Mugi was forced to disperse his inner qi to block the Sword King's slash, and ended up paying for it by getting sucked into the black hole created by the Death Vortex.

The black hole vanished in an instant, as if it had sent him to another world.

Nevertheless, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader couldn't be relieved. He had experienced Hwa Mugi's skill firsthand.

"That won't last long either."

PUUUK!

As soon as he finished speaking, the black sword tore through the air and re-emerged.

RIIIIIP!

Hwa Mugi poked his head out through the torn space. "I don't like dark places," he said, smiling despite being immersed in a space that annihilated everything.

Looking at that astonishing, almost grotesque divine power, the Sword King asked the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, "Why did you go so far to protect me?"

Just a moment ago, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had risked his life. If the Sword King had been even a little late, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader would have been stabbed by Hwa Mugi's sword.

Curious about the reason, Hwa Mugi also listened, his head still sticking out of the darkness.

The Sword King naturally thought the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader would make a joke, something like, There are five other people, so someone would have saved me.

However, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader gave an unexpected reason.

"The Young Cult Leader is the root of all my problems."

Everyone's gaze turned toward the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"Even if we win this fight, if you die, it'll be a defeat for the Young Cult Leader."

"!"

"It would be a defeat he'd grieve over for a very long time, maybe his whole life."

The Sword King didn't know the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was thinking such thoughts.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's gaze turned toward Geom Woojin, thinking he would understand his feelings best. A father should know better than anyone what it took for his son to entrust this fight to them.

His current feelings were exactly the same as Geom Woojin's when he had destroyed the second-floor wall—the desire to save everyone and have them leave their writings on a new wall.

"I want to give the Young Cult Leader a proper victory."

Even though a nightmarish existence was sticking its head out toward them, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader wasn't afraid at all.

"So, not a single one of us is allowed to die."