novelraw Chapter 156 : Caught in One’s Own Trap (2)
Chapter 156 : Caught in One’s Own Trap (2)
Chapter 156: Caught in One’s Own Trap (2)
It was as if dozens of living snakes were crawling through the air as though it were solid ground.
‘What is this?!’
Chu U-ja could not hide his shock at the assault of the Black Threads, which carried an ominous and unusual qi.
Chwarara!
The threads reached him in an instant and attempted to coil around his sword.
At that moment, Chu U-ja snapped back to his senses, halting his sprint for a brief instant. Using his right foot as a pivot, he rotated his body and swung his sword.
‘You think mere threads like these can stop me?!’
Chu U-ja, the Great Elder of the Qingcheng Sect, whose name was proudly engraved in the Central Plains’ Hundred Masters Register, was already at the threshold of the Manifestation Realm.
Uuuuung!
His sword, laden with sword flux, charged forward with the intent to slash apart the bewilderingly tangled threads.
However—contrary to his confident momentum.
Kigigi!
Kwaga!
“……!!”
What was this?
Even a sword infused with qi projection could not sever the Black Threads.
Sparks of orange light scattered as sword and thread repelled one another.
Cheocheok!
Stopping in place, Chu U-ja stared in bewilderment at the enemy before him.
There stood the Clan Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
“They say you’re the Fine Willow Sword Master. Seems your sword isn’t much.”
Tang Sewoon stood firm and upright.
In his eyes rested the majesty of an enraged Mountain Lord.
Yet Chu U-ja could not respond immediately to the provocation.
‘……How did some green brat manage to block my sword?’
He had not even used a sword qi technique, and yet the fact that his sword—infused with sword flux—had been blocked made no sense to him.
Just then, Sewoon twisted the corner of his mouth and added another remark.
“A so-called Great Elder of a Sect, pulling dirty tricks on common folk. I suppose you don’t even feel ashamed.”
“……Silence!!”
Chu U-ja screamed as if struck.
Saaa!
He then infused an even deeper qi into his sword.
Chu U-ja narrowed his half-opened eyes and examined Sewoon’s hands.
‘There must be some secret in that gauntlet and thread he’s using. But in the end, they’re only tools!’
He believed Sewoon had blocked his sword flux because of some unknown tool.
Chu U-ja snorted inwardly.
He was a purist who rejected treasure weapons and divine implements, pursuing only the innate strength of a martial artist.
The creed he upheld while reaching his current realm was singular:
‘A mere abomination! I just have to break it with greater force!’
Pabat!
Chu U-ja kicked off the ground again, charging forward.
A gust of whirlwind surged alongside the sound of the air being torn apart.
No ordinary martial artist could track his speed with their eyes.
As was well known, Chu U-ja’s alias was the Fine Willow Sword Master.
That name bore both of his ultimate techniques—the pinnacle arts of Qingcheng.
The first was the Fine Willow Drift, famed to rival Mount Hua’s Hidden Fragrance Swaying in the Dark.
Paat!
Uuuuung!
He took only a few steps before he soared right in front of the commoners who had been fleeing.
His reason for charging at the commoners instead of Sewoon was simple.
If even one of these insects succeeded in escaping, Qingcheng’s honor would fall to the dirt.
As long as he lived, he could never allow that.
Swaeaaak!
Chaaaa!
Chu U-ja swung his sword downward, unleashing a ferocious slash with not even a hint of hesitation.
‘Upper Qing Autumn Painting!’
Though inferior to the Qingyun Red Mist Sword that only the Sect Leader could learn, the ultimate movement of Upper Qing Sword Art—ranked among the highest of Qingcheng’s sword techniques—poured down like a torrential downpour.
Chwararara!
He had swung only one slash, yet dozens of sword strikes burst forth like a meteor shower.
Such was the essence of the Upper Qing Sword Art at complete mastery: releasing dozens of sword flux arcs from a single strike.
‘I’ll just say it was unavoidable collateral damage during subjugation!’
Kwarururur!
As the ground trembled as though in the midst of an earthquake and the sword flux rained down—
Cheocheok!
‘What?!’
Sewoon suddenly appeared behind the commoners—who had no idea sword waves were flying toward their backs.
He had clearly been behind Chu U-ja just a moment ago.
Sewoon extended both hands toward the falling sword flux, his gaze cold as ice.
It was no different from suicide.
Both hands should have been sliced apart without a trace.
Swaeaaak!
Puh-puh-puh-pung!
“……!!!”
But the outcome was completely different.
“H-Hiiik!”
“W-What is that?”
“Tang Clan warriors, protect the commoners!”
“Yes, sir!!”
In the end, not a single commoner suffered harm.
Thanks to Sewoon’s Heavenly Net, which once again extended from his hands and shot down every single one of Chu U-ja’s sword flux arcs.
While Chu U-ja was stunned by the unexpected outcome, the Dark Flower Unit warriors obeyed Sewoon’s order and formed a protective barrier around the commoners.
Seeing this, the faces of the Qingcheng Sect martial artists turned pale with shock.
In the midst of this absolute worst-case scenario—
Chu U-ja’s expression no longer held a shred of composure.
‘This isn’t an issue of mere tools. Just now, the power within those threads was clearly……!’
“Did you think I couldn’t wield qi projection?”
“!!”
Chu U-ja could not answer Sewoon’s words.
Because Sewoon had struck the heart of his assumption.
Qi projection? Qi projection?!
The Qingcheng martial artists began to whisper heatedly.
To them, Tang Sewoon had been nothing more than a short-lived martial artist who sacrificed his own lifespan to build a false reputation.