Chapter 190 : The Sect Master Will Come

The Second Guest’s twin daggers, which were subtly different from an assassin’s blade.

The dagger in his left hand persistently aimed for the vital points, and the dagger in his right hand aimed for Jin Sohyun’s tendons.

‘Fast.’

In the midst of the relentless slashes of the twin daggers, Jin Sohyun’s stab wounds gradually increased.

‘No, it’s different from being fast.’

Jin Sohyun felt something strange in the Second Guest’s attack.

It wasn't just a fast attack.

‘He moves in advance.’

The Second Guest moved first, as if he knew where Jin Sohyun would move.

Thanks to that, even Jin Sohyun, who had faster movements than the Second Guest, could not completely avoid his slashes.

Jin Sohyun, who was countering the Second Guest’s slashes by swinging his sword, tilted his head back, avoiding the dagger that came before his eyes by a hair’s breadth.

With a tingling pain, blood spurted from the bridge of his nose.

‘I thought I dodged it…’

Jin Sohyun had to block the slashes that were rushing in without a moment to breathe, while feeling puzzled.

And so, while the two’s offense and defense continued without a break, the wanderers also held their breath and watched the two martial artists’ fight.

“It’s not a level we can interfere with in the first place.”

In the same posture as when they had faced each other at the start of the fight.

The Second Guest and Jin Sohyun did not retreat a single step.

Only the fierce slashes cut through the space.

‘If I retreat.’

‘I lose.’

The battle of offense and defense between martial artists was ultimately a flow.

Because who brought the flow first decided the victory or defeat.

The Second Guest and Jin Sohyun did not retreat, not wanting to lose the flow, but rather increased their speed.

Swish—!

The Second Guest’s thrusting blade grazed Jin Sohyun’s cheek.

At the same time, the front of the Second Guest’s clothes was cut.

‘He finally got in.’

The Second Guest gritted his teeth and put more strength into the hand holding the dagger.

He had watched the fight between the wanderers and Jin Sohyun and had put all of his movements and fighting methods.

The hand he mainly used or his stepping foot.

Even his small habits.

He had put everything into his head.

Because of that, the Second Guest could counter Jin Sohyun’s movements in advance, as if he had predicted them.

But Jin Sohyun, who had noticed this, increased his speed.

‘Is he trying to make it so that I can’t follow?’

At a speed that was impossible to avoid even if he knew.

Jin Sohyun’s slashes came fiercely and aimed at the Second Guest.

‘The sword technique is simple, but the power and speed contained in it are at an absurd level.’

The basic sword technique of a first-class master was more terrifying than the advanced sword technique of a third-rate martial artist.

Even a simple downward slash, if it contained the power to split a mountain, what meaning did the sword technique have?

That was exactly what Jin Sohyun was like now.

In his simple sword technique, there was a power and speed that could easily cut the Second Guest in two.

“Heup!”

The Second Guest, who had deflected Jin Sohyun’s sword with his twin daggers and had rushed in, pursed his lips.

“Ptoo!”

A faint needle flew from his pursed lips.

The moment the surprised Jin Sohyun tilted his head to the left, a blade came into the empty space.

‘I knew he would dodge this way!’

The decisive blow aimed at Jin Sohyun’s neck.

Swish—!

Everyone did not doubt Jin Sohyun’s defeat.

But the Second Guest’s dagger cut through the air.

‘An afterimage?!’

Before he could be flustered by the sight of Jin Sohyun’s afterimage scattering after being cut by the blade, the Second Guest had to cross his daggers and defend the front.

Clang—!!

The sword imbued with lightning ki was deflected in front of the Second Guest.

“Flying sword…”

Jin Sohyun, who had retreated far away, lightly raised both hands, and the sword that had fallen to the ground soared up.

‘Sword control.’

The sword control, which could be said to be the essence of the Flying Heaven Ten Sword Art, unfolded before his eyes.

‘To unfold the sword control even after using that much internal energy… does he mean to see the end?’

It was rather good.

What the Second Guest wanted to face was the essence of Jin Sohyun’s Flying Heaven Ten Sword Art.

The very martial art that had defeated the Third Guest.

“You’re finally taking out the flying sword. Now, come. Show me the essence of the Flying Heaven Ten Sword Art…”

Kwaang—!!

The Second Guest could not finish his words and vomited blood, retreating.

If he hadn't instinctively taken a defensive posture.

‘I would have died…!’

The Second Guest, who had vomited a mouthful of blood, stared at the ground where he had been standing until just now.

The floor was deeply dented, as if a lightning bomb had exploded.

“Sorry. What did you say?”

Jin Sohyun asked, holding a sword in his hand.

“Hehe… is this your full power from now on?”

“Yes. That’s right. This is my full power from now on.”

“Good.”

The Second Guest stared at Jin Sohyun with his two eyes wide open.

‘I’ll see it! Your full power!’

But the Second Guest did not know.

When Jin Sohyun had fought the Third Guest, his internal energy and stamina were almost depleted because it was after he had fought a life-and-death battle with over a hundred wanderers.

But not now.

Jin Sohyun, who had fought while distributing his internal energy for the fight with the Second Guest, had preserved most of his internal energy.

Moreover, there were countless swords here that were fine to be broken.

“If possible, don’t die.”

With a short warning, the flying sword left Jin Sohyun’s hand.

Swoosh—!

The flying sword that flew, tearing through the wind, was so fast that it was impossible to dodge.

‘I have to deflect it!’

He deflected the flying sword with the daggers in his twin hands.

It was then.

Kwaang—!!

With an explosion, the Second Guest’s body staggered greatly.

The crushed blade fragments became small hidden weapons and were embedded in the Second Guest’s entire body.

Although it was not a life-threatening wound, a thin stream of blood flowed like a stem from between the fragments embedded in his body.

“Phew… phew…!”

The problem was the internal injury rather than the external one.

‘What on earth is this!’

Just by clashing with the blade, a huge explosion had occurred.

‘Is he imbuing the sword with internal energy and throwing it?’

It was a martial art with a different grain from a general sword technique.

A similar thing was the Explosive Rock Flying Dagger among the hidden weapon techniques of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

But while that was throwing a flying dagger with gunpowder, this was a flying sword that was thrown with only pure internal energy.

‘It’s threatening, but the internal energy consumption must not be small. He can’t keep throwing them.’

The Second Guest barely raised his collapsing body and took a breath.

“What’s next…”

The Second Guest swung his twin hands at Jin Sohyun’s flying sword, which was flying in again.

The sword ki that had left the dagger faced the flying sword, but the size of the inherent power was different.

The Second Guest swung his dagger hard at the flying sword that came, tearing through the sword ki.

Kwaang—!!!

With the following second explosion, the Second Guest’s body was pushed back.

“Keuleok!”

Vomiting blood.

The Second Guest, who had supported his collapsing body, opened his half-closed eyes wide.

‘I have to go forward. He can’t keep throwing such attacks.’

The Second Guest stretched out his foot to move forward as much as he had been pushed back.

And at the same time, a flying sword flew in.

“Hyaaaap!”

The Second Guest swung his dagger with all his might.

Kwaang!!

The Second Guest’s body shook even more.

Following that, the fourth flying sword flew in and hit the Second Guest.

This time too, the Second Guest struck down the flying sword with a hazy gaze.

Kwaang!

Kwaang—!

Kwaang—!!

The flying swords continued to fly in, and every time, the Second Guest staggered, becoming a mess.

‘Why?’

The Second Guest could not understand.

He surely couldn't keep throwing flying swords with that much power.

That was common sense.

But.

‘Why isn’t it ending?’

At this point, his internal energy should have run out, and he shouldn't even have the strength to lift a finger.

But.

“Is it over?”

Jin Sohyun asked, holding the tenth sword in his hand.

His gaze was unwavering, and his breathing was even.

Not even a hint of wavering could be felt in the momentum that Jin Sohyun was subtly revealing.

‘The level of his internal energy… is different.’

The Second Guest staggered and knelt on one knee, spitting out blood from his mouth.

His internal organs were shaken and broken due to the internal injury.

He couldn't even operate his internal energy anymore, so it was even difficult to hold the dagger.

“Is it over already?”

Jin Sohyun said, as if disappointed, and lowered the sword he was holding, approaching the Second Guest.

“Second Guest.”

At the voice calling him, the Second Guest raised his head.

And he squeezed out his remaining strength and brought the dagger to his own neck.

“Don’t do that. I have no intention of killing you.”

“Soul Seduction… Art… the one who controlled the Third Guest… must be that kind of… heretic art.”

The Second Guest had wisely noticed that the one who had controlled the Third Guest was a type of Soul Seduction Art.

“I will not be… controlled by you…”

The Second Guest, who was carrying a lot, did not hesitate to die.

If the dagger was blocked, he planned to swallow the poison pill embedded in his molar.

“You guys take your lives too easily.”

Jin Sohyun took five steps back with a sigh.

“Among the Ghost Star: Phantom Guest, the traveler who can contact the Sect Master is one, the second traveler, the Second Guest. It’s you.”

“…”

The Second Guest looked at Jin Sohyun.

Perhaps because he had lost too much blood, his vision was blurry.

“Listen to me carefully.”

But Jin Sohyun’s voice was heard clearly.

No, all the surrounding sounds were erased, and only Jin Sohyun’s voice was heard.

“Go back to the Sect Master. And go and tell him my words clearly.”

***

“Keuleok!”

The Second Guest, who had woken up with a cough, fumbled with his body without realizing it.

‘I’m alive?’

“Be careful. The wound is deep. You have a very severe internal injury, so you have to be careful with your movements for the time being.”

At the old doctor’s advice, the Second Guest realized that he was alive and breathing.

‘What happened? Did Jin Sohyun just let me go? Or… am I already being controlled by the Soul Seduction Art.’

Just as the Third Guest had.

Had he been hit by the Soul Seduction Art without even knowing it?

The Second Guest barely opened his mouth, called the wanderers, and asked what had happened, and the wanderer explained the situation with a dazed face.

“He told me to take you, Elder, to a doctor before it was too late, and then he disappeared.”

“And… that was the end?”

“That’s right.”

“…”

It was an incomprehensible thing, but he could not deny what had happened before his eyes.

‘Surely.’

The Second Guest, who was fumbling through his last memory, recalled the words of Jin Sohyun that were imprinted in his mind.

“I have to… see the Sect Master.”

The Second Guest staggered and got down from the bed.

As his body swayed, the wanderers quickly supported him.

“Elder. You have to rest for now…”

“There’s no time. I have to see the Sect Master. Hurry… me…”

The Second Guest staggered out of the doctor’s office and got into the carriage that the wanderers had prepared.

And there was someone watching this from a distance.

“Is this enough.”

Jin Sohyun, who was watching the departing carriage, turned his body and went into an alley between buildings.

There, Beomgang and Cha Seol were waiting for Jin Sohyun with only their heads sticking out.

“What happened to the Second Guest?”

“He just left.”

“How about we follow him? Then we can find the Hao Sect Master.”

“It won’t be that easy. I don’t know how long it will take.”

Given the Second Guest’s personality, he would not easily let himself be followed.

He would hide his body along a path that could not be followed and go to find the Sect Master.

For now, it was best to wait for him to deliver his words to the Sect Master rather than following the Second Guest.

“Is Seol okay?”

“I’m fine.”

The Soul Seduction Art consumed too much mental energy.

Thanks to that, Cha Seol was carried on Beomgang’s back with a gaunt face.

“Then where shall we go now?”

“We have to wait until the answer comes.”

Jin Sohyun returned to Honggang with Beomgang, who was carrying Cha Seol.

As the Second Guest, following the Third Guest, was defeated and returned, the wanderers who had filled Honggang also disappeared without a trace.

As the central point disappeared, the wanderers also naturally returned to their own places.

Jin Sohyun, who had returned to the Cheonhwagak wearing a robe, went straight up to the Cheonru.

“Phew! You’re safe!”

Jeokmyeon, who had been waiting for Jin Sohyun’s return with all his heart, approached with teary eyes.

“You did well. Thanks to you, it went as planned.”

“Phew… I almost died this time.”

Jeokmyeon, whose life was the most important, had guided the Second Guest to Jin Sohyun, risking his own life.

This was all Jin Sohyun’s plan.

As Jin Sohyun had thought of gathering the travelers of the Hao Sect in one place, Jeokmyeon had guided the Second Guest to the place he had heard of in advance.

In this process, Jeokmyeon had almost died several times, but he had barely managed to preserve his life.

“Now my role is over.”

Jeokmyeon lifted the bundle he had packed in advance with his one remaining arm.

“You’ve worked hard, Young Master Jin.”

“Where are you going?”

“If possible… I plan to leave the Central Plains altogether. I’m not stupid enough to set foot and live in the Central Plains as a traitor of the Hao Sect.”

“You did well.”

“No, sir.”

“Stay hidden at the Jin Clan estate for the time being.”

Jeokmyeon faced Jin Sohyun with a face full of complex emotions.

And then, Jeokmyeon smiled lightly.

“Do you trust me that much?”

Jin Sohyun said with a gentle smile.

“My master is there. If you do anything funny, you won’t die a good death.”

“Ah…”

***

“Do I really have to ride this?”

“Yes. Hwanggu is my pet, so take special care of him.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Jeokmyeon and Gwan O left the Cheonhwagak, riding the oxcart led by Hwanggu.

Baekhwa, who was watching this with them, stood to Jin Sohyun’s left.

“I thought you wouldn’t come back, but you managed to come back.”

“Were you disappointed?”

At Jin Sohyun’s question, Baekhwa shrugged her shoulders.

“A little.”

“That’s a shame.”

“But… it seems good to see you again.”

This time, Jin Sohyun shrugged his shoulders and patted Baekhwa’s shoulder.

“We have to prepare to greet a guest.”

“A guest? Is someone else coming?”

“Yes.”

Jin Sohyun, who had nodded his head, said with an innocent face.

“The Hao Sect Master will come.”

(End of Chapter)