Chapter 245 : Bloody Battle with Sam Taegong (2)

Chapter 245: Bloody Battle with Sam Taegong (2)

Sseugeok!

“Khk!”

Half of Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin’s robe was charred black from the thunderous energy, and red spread from his groin like he had wet himself.

“Uugh!”

Each time Sam Taegong stepped back, unbearable pain surged up from his groin.

And in that moment, Sam Taegong realized it.

One of his testicles had been severed.

“You son of a bitch!”

When Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin roared, the roof of the pavilion trembled.

Yong Hwarin, trembling all over, raised his sword to strike again.

However, having just released internal energy equivalent to the Five Gaps, the blood vessels throughout his body were on the verge of bursting.

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin had not fallen.

On the contrary, he was like a wild beast that had only been slightly wounded.

However, since his energy was not circulating smoothly, he was momentarily gathering his qi.

“Daji, escort Young Master Yong!”

Jeong Daji carried Yong Hwarin on her back and entered Hoi Unkyung’s pavilion.

She intended to pass through the building and escape from the opposite side.

At that moment, Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin suddenly leapt into the air and pursued Jeong Daji.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

When Jeong Minji saw Sam Taegong enter the pavilion, she followed him and launched an attack using the Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art.

Lee Kangmin ignored Jeong Minji’s assault and hurled his sword toward the room where Jeong Daji was about to exit.

It was imbued with the true flame of Fire Affliction, and when the sword embedded itself in the wall, flames erupted.

Because it was a flame of qi, Jeong Daji couldn’t pierce through it and hesitated, stepping back.

In that instant, Jeong Minji slashed her sword toward Lee Kangmin’s back.

“Hmm!”

A red line of blood appeared on Lee Kangmin’s back.

It was due to the Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art—any ordinary sword technique wouldn’t have left a scratch.

“You wretch, how dare you!”

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin swung his sword.

Jeong Suji also joined Jeong Minji in striking against Lee Kangmin’s sword with the Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art.

Jjeoeong!

Jeong Minji and Jeong Suji were blown back from the rebound and slammed into the wall.

“Keuk!”

Jeong Minji and Jeong Suji coughed up blood.

“This perverted old man is ridiculously strong for a pervert.”

Jeong Suji muttered while glaring at Lee Kangmin.

“You’ve got a filthy mouth, girl.”

Jeong Suji responded.

“You think a half-broken perverted geezer like you can do anything to me?”

“You seem to be the type I should keep around and torment for a long, long time.”

“You sure are greedy for an old man.”

Because of Jeong Suji’s retort, Yong Hwarin managed to calm his bursting blood vessels for a moment.

For the first time, Yong Hwarin realized how excellent the Nine Dragons Heavenly Ascent Technique was at stabilizing and protecting the meridians.

There was a reason why the Nine Dragons Heavenly Ascent Technique wasn’t known for overwhelming power.

It was designed to harmonize and blend with other powerful inner techniques.

Thanks to that, he could once again regulate his qi and rise to his feet with the Nine Dragons Heavenly Ascent Technique.

“Young Master Yong, are you alright?”

When Jeong Daji asked, Yong Hwarin nodded.

As Jeong Minji and Jeong Suji slowly moved toward Yong Hwarin, Lee Kangmin spoke.

“This room will become your grave. By this time next year, your ancestral tablets will be enshrined here.”

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin released all of his internal energy, gathering it to unleash the final move of the Nine Hells King Sword.

“Hmm!”

However, the thunderous energy from Yong Hwarin still lingered, making it difficult to concentrate his qi.

‘This bastard must die. If I leave him be for a few more years, even I won’t be able to handle him. But what is this thunderous energy? Why isn’t it dissipating even when I circulate my energy?’

Sam Taegong furrowed his brows and attempted to suppress his qi.

It was only natural—Yong Hwarin had used thunderous energy from the Eastern Thunder Formation, and it wasn’t ordinary thunderous energy but the self-revolving inner qi of the Blood Demon of the Self-Transmission.

Because self-revolving qi had toxic properties that lingered in the body, it did not dissipate easily.

In other words, while it had explosive force like other thunderous energies, self-revolving qi was sticky and could not be dispelled easily, like glue.

If it weren’t for that, neither Yong Hwarin nor Jong Munhye would’ve suffered so much from it.

Due to its toxic nature that couldn’t be fully expelled even with qi circulation, Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin was struggling to use his internal energy.

That was why Yong Hwarin could catch his breath for a moment.

If he couldn’t escape, Yong Hwarin decided to face it head-on.

‘If I could just draw out the power of the Eastern Thunder Formation one last time…’

He attempted to draw it out using his internal energy, but the self-revolving qi was too faint to generate any thunderous force.

Cold sweat trickled down his spine.

The Eastern Thunder Formation was the best technique to block and counter Sam Taegong’s attacks.

‘Damn it. I used up too much self-revolving qi. It’s completely gone now.’

As Yong Hwarin looked at Jeong Minji, intending to tell her to run, he saw the blazing Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art surging from both Jeong Minji and Jeong Suji’s bodies—and an idea came to him.

‘Yes… If there’s something as strong as thunderous energy in me, it would be Invading Like Fire.’

Though Yong Hwarin knew it was insane, there was no time to weigh the consequences.

This was a moment of life and death—any flicker of hope had to be seized.

“Would it be alright if we die like this together?”

Yong Hwarin asked abruptly.

“A righteous warrior dies fighting.”

Jeong Suji replied firmly, and Jeong Minji added,

“We, the Three Chivalrous Sisters, have lived by righteousness and chivalry. Fighting alongside Young Master Yong at this moment is what it means to walk the path of a righteous hero.”

Yong Hwarin looked at Jeong Minji and said,

“I’m sorry. Truly sorry. And… thank you. For staying by my side.”

“On the contrary, I’m the one who’s grateful.”

With just that one sentence and his eyes, Jeong Minji fully received Yong Hwarin’s feelings.

She knew exactly what he was sorry for—and what he was grateful for.

‘That’s enough, Minji. I’ve understood Young Master Yong’s heart. That’s all I need. I won’t regret dying.’

Jeong Suji said.

“If you survive, you have to take responsibility for my sister. Got it? Otherwise, you’ll die by my hand before that old pervert does.”

Not knowing whether she would survive, she decided it was better to say what needed to be said before dying.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Yong Hwarin looked at Jeong Minji and said,

“If I survive today, I will stay by your side and support you.”

“Tch! A man could at least say something a little more generous.”

Jeong Suji had expected something bolder, and was disappointed by such a simple statement.

However, Jeong Minji’s face was brighter than anyone’s.

Because she had gained even a small piece of Yong Hwarin’s heart and understood it, her heart was light, even in this moment where death seemed near.

Seeing that Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin appeared to be recovering his qi, Yong Hwarin quickly spoke.

“Please create as much flame as possible with the Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art.”

The Three Chivalrous Sisters didn’t ask why and immediately unfolded the Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art, igniting the flame of their qi throughout their bodies.

They trusted that Yong Hwarin had a valid reason for asking.

“You must move with me.”

Yong Hwarin began to circulate the aura of Invading Like Fire and released his qi outward. His qi fused with Nature’s Energy and naturally transformed into the aura of fire.

As Yong Hwarin amplified the fire aura, his sword began to absorb the fire energy of the Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art.

“Hm!”

The three sisters felt their qi from the Vermilion Phoenix Grand Heavenly Art rapidly being absorbed by Yong Hwarin, but they did not retract it.

Knowing that he was trying to absorb their qi to amplify his own power, they instead drew up more internal force from their dantians.

Combining the power of the Three Chivalrous Sisters with his own, Yong Hwarin charged forward with the aura of Invading Like Fire and attacked using the technique of Wrathful Dragon Ignition.

He was striking preemptively before Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin could make the first move.

“Let’s see whose flame burns stronger!”

As Yong Hwarin’s sword strike came at him, Lee Kangmin raised his suppressed qi and unleashed the Nine Hells King Sword.

Fwoooosh!

Yellow flames burst around the sword as he rushed toward Yong Hwarin.

This was nascent qi ignited as flame.

Since Yong Hwarin’s blood vessels had not yet recovered, amplifying his power again using the Tai Chi Dantian would likely cause his vessels to rupture and kill him. So he drew in the strength of the three sisters and added the power of the Three Gaps to strike.

Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh!

The walls of the pavilion burst apart from the collision of nascent qi.

Moments later, curses burst from Yong Hwarin’s mouth.

“Damn it, even with all this it’s a draw? If I’d only amplified my power with the Tai Chi Dantian, I could’ve killed him.”

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin’s complexion was deathly pale.

Yong Hwarin couldn’t move, as his qi was violently surging within.

Lee Yung sensed the situation and shouted,

“Protect Sam Taegong!”

“Guard the Small Sect Leader!”

The Tenebrous Ghosts Corps and the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect simultaneously charged into the pavilion.

“You think I’m like you?”

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin spat blood and glared at Yong Hwarin.

“I still have enough qi to kill a brat like you with one hand.”

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin took a step forward.

Yong Hwarin’s eyes dimmed.

The Three Chivalrous Sisters and he himself had taken too much damage and were unable to move. There was no one who could stop Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin.

The Demonic Master stepped in front of Yong Hwarin, but everyone knew he would not be able to stop Sam Taegong.

Just as the Demonic Master was about to inject qi into his sword and attack—

Boom!

Suddenly, the ceiling burst apart and someone fell through.

“Who are you!”

The intruder landed right where Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin stood.

Lee Yung ordered Ma Jeung.

“Block them!”

With that, Ma Jeung and three members of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps flew up and thrust their swords at the masked intruder.

But the descending figure swung his sword in a zigzag motion.

“Keuk!”

The three warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps were killed instantly and fell to the floor, while Ma Jeung landed with a pierced left shoulder.

It was an astounding sword strike.

To nullify a combined assault like that in an instant was something even Yong Hwarin would struggle to achieve.

The masked figure landed on the floor and immediately flew toward Lee Kangmin.

Caught off guard by the ambush, Lee Kangmin raised his left hand to block.

It was the Blood Heaven Palm.

When the masked person’s sword clashed with Lee Kangmin’s Blood Heaven Palm, a deafening boom rang out.

The beam shook, and dust poured from above.

“Move the Small Sect Leader outside!”

At Mu Iso’s words, the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect carefully carried Yong Hwarin outside.

After they had moved the Three Chivalrous Sisters out as well, the masked figure continued attacking Lee Kangmin.

Watching the assault, Yong Hwarin murmured.

“How could he be…?”

The masked man’s sword technique was the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword.

He was using the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword to push back Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin.

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin was being forced onto the defensive.

Having taken a severe hit from Yong Hwarin earlier, he was not in his normal state.

Because of that, he couldn’t fully withstand the masked man’s attacks.

Lee Yung saw that if this continued, Lee Kangmin would not survive, and shouted to Ma Jeung.

“Ma Jeung, hold this place!”

Receiving Lee Yung’s command, Ma Jeung shouted,

“Tenebrous Ghosts Corps, protect Sam Taegong!”

As the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps attacked the masked figure all at once, Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin barely escaped.

But the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps was no match for the masked figure.

Within five seconds, the warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps fell one by one.

Without hesitation, Lee Yung said to Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin,

“Third Instructor, you must leave this place first.”

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin glanced over Yong Hwarin, the Three Chivalrous Sisters, and the masked man, then suddenly leapt into the air.

Having never once fled before, Lee Kangmin would never forget this humiliation.

It took less than a moment for the masked man to wipe out the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps.

Only Ma Jeung remained, now facing off against the masked man.

“I know who you are.”

“How did you figure it out?”

“That gaze… how could I ever forget those eyes. That look that only you possess. But why are you using the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword?”

The masked man replied.

“Find out in the afterlife.”

He drew his sword with a whispering motion.

Ma Jeung raised his own to block the strike, but it was futile.

“My final slash was with my ultimate mastery.”

“It was magnificent.”

Ma Jeung looked once toward Yong Hwarin, moved his lips silently, then collapsed.

Having witnessed the final slash that killed Ma Jeung, Yong Hwarin now knew for certain who the masked man was.

And he also realized that the one who had given him advice via telepathy during the fight against Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin was this same person.

“How could it be you?”

As the masked man approached Yong Hwarin, suddenly figures appeared leaping over the walls of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

“Wipe out every rat stirring up chaos inside!”

Only now had the Blood Green Unit arrived.

Seeing them, the masked figure leapt over the wall and vanished.