novelraw Chapter 154 : Striking a Fallen Man (3)
Chapter 154 : Striking a Fallen Man (3)
Chapter 154: Striking a Fallen Man (3)
‘What the hell is that?’
‘……!!’
‘Did he just use a Divine Artifact?!’
The Tang Clan martial artists hiding in the bushes could not conceal their shock at the enemy’s sudden transformation.
Though Ma Geollyun was infamous as the mad dog of the Qingcheng Sect, none had expected him to emit such sinister demonic qi that diverged entirely from the orthodox arts.
However, only one man—Nameless—was completely unfazed.
‘Hmm, so that’s the power the Master spoke of.’
Sewoon had already warned him that once cornered, the bastard would use his hidden strength.
The Power of the Stars.
Unlike martial arts honed through training, it was an innate power—something one was born with, like fate itself.
Yet most of those who possessed it met miserable ends; hence, it was known less as a blessing and more as a curse.
‘I’ve had to deal with plenty of those before.’
After all, Nameless was the top assassin of the Gate of Assassins.
Many of his targets were monstrous beings that could not be killed by strength alone.
Among his assassination targets, quite a few had been born with the Power of the Stars.
They had tormented him with unique supernatural abilities as well as martial skill.
“Hahaha! My strength is overflowing!”
Rumble!
At that moment, having completed his gathering of power, Ma Geollyun bellowed madly as sinister energy poured out from his entire body.
Ji Yosung belonged not to the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars led by the Heaven-Slaying Star, Do Yecheon, but to the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends.
Normally, the Earthly Fiends’ strength could never compare to that of the Heavenly Stars, yet the total amount of energy Ma Geollyun was now emitting was no less than that of the Heaven-Slaying Star himself.
“Stop hiding like rats and crawl out already!!”
Then Ma Geollyun lifted his right foot and stomped the ground like an axe.
Boom!
A circular shockwave spread out from him in all directions.
The impact was far too great to have come from a mere stomp.
Fwoosh!
Crackle!
Like hellfire passing through the land, the surrounding foliage burned to ash in an instant.
Even though the Tang Clan warriors were caught off guard, they managed to raise their qi in time to block the blast.
Urgh!
“Ghhk!”
“Ughh!”
Those who came into direct contact with his energy groaned in pain.
Just brushing against it was enough to shake their internal qi violently—it was that corrupted.
It was the manifestation of Ji Yosung’s Star Power.
‘A power that accumulates the qi of the beings one has killed!’
At first glance, it seemed similar to the Absorption Great Art, yet it was clearly superior.
The Absorption Great Art could only absorb a martial artist’s cultivation, but Ji Yosung’s power was not so limited.
Demons, spiritual beasts, sorcerers—creatures whose qi a human dantian should never be able to contain—all writhed within his body.
‘Yes! I’ve been piling up these sacrifices for this very moment!!’
Ever since he had learned of the Star Power from Gui Yeongja, Ma Geollyun had secretly caused countless massacres across Sichuan.
And through those sacrifices, he had accumulated immense amounts of qi within himself.
As he watched his enemies struggle beneath the pressure of his power, Ma Geollyun burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! What a sight! You worms! Take this as well!!”
Slash!
Slash!
He began swinging his sword wildly.
They were neither the Seventy-Two Slash Sword Arts nor the Red Mist Sword Techniques—merely simple slashes.
Shhhk!
“?!”
“Th-that’s sword flux!”
What he unleashed were crescent-shaped sword fluxes—tangible blades of qi.
Through the Power of the Stars, he had temporarily surpassed the peak master level, entering even the Transformation Realm.
The Tang Clan warriors froze for a moment, realizing that their strength could never withstand the force of those slashes.
Tap!
Nameless leapt forward, placing himself before the warrior directly in the sword’s path.
Then, cloaked in the spirit of his fighting will, he threw out a barrage of punches.
Boom!
Boom!
Astonishingly, Nameless shattered the attack by manifesting even the essence of the Beast Palace’s outer arts.
However, the enemy’s assault continued like a downpour, relentless and unending.
Realizing that they could not keep this up, Nameless shouted loudly to the Tang Clan warriors.
“Don’t even think of fighting back—fall back, all of you!!”
“!!”
“Then what about you, Lord Pata Myeong?!”
“Don’t worry about me, brother! I’ll follow soon enough!!”
“……!!”
After a brief moment of hesitation, the Tang Clan warriors clenched their teeth and began retreating.
They felt terribly guilty for leaving him behind, but they knew that staying would only become a burden to him.
They prayed desperately for the Beast Palace warrior’s safety.
As they fled, each of them swore silently—never again would they allow such a situation to happen. They would train with everything they had.
Crackle!
From Ma Geollyun’s frenzied barrage of sword slashes, the ground was shattered as if struck by an earthquake.
Amid the chilling traces of destruction, Nameless alone still stood firm.
Seeing that pitiful sight, Ma Geollyun twisted his lips into a cruel smile.
“Heheheh, such a touching sacrifice! But I’ll kill you soon enough, then chase down your friends and tear every last one of them to—”
“What the hell are you babbling about?”
“Wha……??”
Ma Geollyun froze, momentarily bewildered by the sudden interruption.
…What?
It wasn’t just the words—the voice itself had changed, completely different, as if he had become another person.
And that wasn’t the only change.
Rumble!!
In an instant, an overwhelming qi burst forth from Nameless, boiling like a volcanic eruption.
The energy rivaled—or perhaps even surpassed—his own.
‘Wh-what? How could a warrior of the Beast Palace possess such internal power?’
Ma Geollyun’s pupils trembled violently—
Nameless slowly opened his mouth again.
“Tsk, just because a bug like you got to play around a little, you really think we’re equals now, huh?”
“……!!”
Since there was no longer any need to pretend to be a warrior of the Beast Palace, Nameless released his disguise and returned to his true form.
The greatest assassin in the history of the Gate of Assassins.
The Assassin, Nameless.
Step.
Nameless merely took a single step forward.
Tap!
Ma Geollyun unconsciously leapt backward, widening the distance between them.
But he couldn’t help it.
Ssshhh!
‘W-What is this killing intent?’
As Nameless’s eyes—eyes that seemed beyond human—turned toward him, it felt as if countless invisible blades were flying at him from every direction.
“……What are you?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Srrng!
Nameless drew his Twin Daggers from within his sleeves.
The black blades resembled shadows, their curved edges forming smooth arcs.
Each dagger was perfectly shaped to be held in a reverse grip.
At first glance, they looked like ordinary blades, but in Ma Geollyun’s eyes, the sheer ferocity emanating from them was unmistakable.
‘A Divine Artifact!!’
A relic surpassing even Treasure Weapons—a Divine Artifact.
But this one was different.
He realized it instantly.
That weapon was unlike any so-called Divine Artifacts he had seen before. This was a true Divine Weapon, worthy of bearing the name of a god.
At that moment, Nameless slowly looked down at the demonic weapons squirming in his hands.
‘They were called Twin Polar Fang.’
The Demonic Craftsman, who never broke a sweat crafting any weapon, had handed these to him in an exhausted state.
The moment he saw these mysterious twin daggers, he had been left speechless.
Because when he looked at the perfect pair of weapons—crafted solely for him, optimized for his every movement—he felt something indescribable.
It was almost like retrieving a long-lost relic from memory.
But sentiment didn’t last long.
Swish.
Nameless lowered his body, taking the starting stance of his martial art.
“I don’t care if you’re a Star of Madness or a Star of Death. Let’s end this quickly.”
“……!!”
Tap!
With that declaration, Nameless dashed in a straight line, covering the shortest distance toward Ma Geollyun.
Holding the Twin Polar Fang in a reverse grip.
‘If I don’t give it my all… I’ll die!’
“Crimson Falling Absolute Light Sword!!”
Sensing his imminent death, Ma Geollyun unleashed his secret technique, pouring every ounce of his accumulated energy into a single strike.
And to face him, Nameless also revealed a martial art that Sewoon had taught him.
Ultimate Technique — One Point Kill: Reverse.
The secret assassination art that his deceased brother had created for him now finally shone in its rightful owner’s hands.
Sichuan Province, Chengdu.
A group of people was moving toward the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
And as they were seen from afar—
“N-No way.”
“What is that…?”
“W-Why is the Qingcheng Sect here?”
Countless commoners were gripped by shock and fear.
And their reaction was justified.
“Ugh…”
“Cough!”
“Stop whining and get up!!”
The Escort Party of the Tang Clan’s Escort Bureau, in a pitiful state like broken banners, were being dragged along like hostages.
And of course, leading proudly behind them with their chins raised high were none other than the Qingcheng Sect, commanded by Jeok Seongja.
The warriors of the Tang Clan immediately armed themselves and rushed out to pursue the Qingcheng Sect.
They didn’t dare to act rashly because of the captured hostages, but the murderous aura in their eyes was clear.
The commoners, watching this hair-trigger tension, realized one thing:
The Qingcheng Sect and the Tang Clan of Sichuan were about to go to war!
Swish.
At that moment, the procession halted.
Jeok Seongja and the Qingcheng Sect’s troops had boldly arrived before the Tang Clan’s main gate.
Jeok Seongja frowned as he glanced to the side.
“Tsk, still not here? That fool.”
According to the plan, his first disciple Ma Geollyun should have already completed his part—capturing the enemies and arriving by now.
Yet no footsteps, not even a whisper, could be heard.
…Was there no one in his sect capable of doing anything right?
With a faint sigh, Jeok Seongja lost interest in Ma Geollyun and signaled to the elder standing beside him.
“Criminal! Tang Sewoon, Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, show yourself immediately!”
His voice, laced with overwhelming qi, thundered across the surroundings.
Some commoners watching even fainted from the sudden burst of pressure.
Ssshh.
But the main gate of the Tang Clan didn’t budge.
They had been rampaging through Sichuan lately as if they were its rulers, and now they seemed to be trembling in fear.
Jeok Seongja smirked coldly.
At that instant, the elder shouted again.
“If you do not come out immediately!!”
Clang!
As if rehearsed, every warrior of the Qingcheng Sect drew their swords in unison.
A chilling killing intent emanated from their entire formation.
“We will take it as an attempt to protect the criminal!! And enforce justice by force!!”
Just as Jeok Seongja’s single command was about to spark a war between the Qingcheng Sect and the Tang Clan—
“Jeok Seongja!! What is the meaning of this outrageous act!!”
Rumble!
A thunderous roar echoed, surprisingly from a woman’s voice.
Creak.
The Tang Clan’s main gate opened, and the Shrine Maiden Sect Leader, Nine Heavens Immortal Maiden, appeared.
The warriors of the Qingcheng Sect looked bewildered, but Jeok Seongja’s gaze turned icy.
‘Hmph, I knew you’d be here.’
Step.
Jeok Seongja moved forward, and the elder stepped back.
He spoke in a frigid tone.
“I have heard the Shrine Maiden Sect and the Tang Clan have grown quite close lately. But it would be wise for you to stay out of this matter. If you interfere with our operation, even your sect may not escape the consequences.”
“…Are you daring to threaten me right now?”
Whoosh!
The Shrine Maiden Sect Leader raised her sorcery power in response to Jeok Seongja’s words.
“And if I am? What will you do about it?”
Jeok Seongja did not back down even a single step.