novelraw Chapter 195 : There Is Power That Even Defies the Heavens (1)
Chapter 195 : There Is Power That Even Defies the Heavens (1)
Chapter 195: There Is Power That Even Defies the Heavens (1)
At the moment when Sewoon and the Poison Demon were locked in a fierce battle.
‘……Damn it, damn iiit!’
On top of a cliff, hiding his body within a crack between rocks, a man was desperately holding his breath.
It was Gongsun Beon, the Vice Sect Leader of the Heaven-Piercing Gang.
As he stared from afar at the two beings colliding, his body trembled uncontrollably, unable to believe the sight before his eyes.
‘Just what kind of monsters are those things, anyway?!’
Gongsun Beon, pale without a trace of blood, had collapsed heavily onto the ground as his legs shook violently.
Kwarururung—!
Kwaga-ga-ga-ga!
In an instant, a massive shockwave shook the land, and the deafening roar of a mountainside collapsing echoed out.
It far exceeded any level that could be called a battle between humans.
Amid the vortex of demonic qi erupting outward, and the vicious black threads (黑絲) carrying savage force as they sliced through the air.
Unable to withstand the clash of the two men’s energies, everything in all directions was melting away, being severed, and destroyed.
‘I want to run away this instant if I could…….’
All the experience, martial arts, and sorcery he had accumulated and mastered.
He could feel it in his bones that none of it would be of any use whatsoever before those two.
At times like this, fleeing without hesitation was the best possible choice.
But in the end, it was absolutely impossible.
‘Damn it all! Two Gu parasites inside my body?! What kind of dogshit situation is this?!’
That was right. His body now housed not one, but two Gu parasites.
If the Poison Demon noticed him trying to flee, his heart would explode instantly, killing him on the spot.
Rewinding time a little, to before he had come here—when Yelü Seung discovered at Heaven-Piercing Gang that he was an agent planted by Sewoon.
Gongsun Beon naturally expected that Yelü Seung would kill him outright.
However, what unfolded afterward was completely different from his expectations.
Yelü Seung did not kill him.
No, rather—
–Kwahahaha! Feeding a Gu to the Vice Sect Leader of the Heaven-Piercing Gang?
–As expected of my disciple, Yelü Seung, the Poison Demon!
–That’s right. If you want to thoroughly butcher your enemy, you must first plant poison within their ranks.
He burst into maniacal laughter, clearly delighted.
Gongsun Beon did not know why the Blood Cult had taken the Blood-Thread Tyrant as a disciple, but he felt relieved.
If the two were on the same side, then surely they would not kill him.
But the situation only became more twisted.
–Hm? Why are you suddenly acting like that? It’s true that you’re playing the role of a spy, isn’t it?
–If you go blabbering about me to my disciple, it’ll ruin the fun. Heheh, I need some insurance to keep your mouth shut.
–Now, stop resisting and open that mouth of yours.
Guruk!
Gururuk!
Even while standing still, he could feel something strange writhing inside his stomach.
As if to prove the saying “like master, like disciple,” he truly was fed another Gu parasite, just as threatened.
Under the threat that he would die if he did not swallow it, he had no choice but to force it down his throat, and Yelü Seung, seeing his ashen expression, slung him over his shoulder and departed for Zhushan.
Then he placed him down here and ordered him to engrave this historic battle between master and disciple into record.
Kwaga-ga-ga!
Kwaaaang!
[Kuahaha, this is my Poison Qi—Divine Medium Qi!]
[Everything, melt away and vanish!]
At that moment, a massive explosion rang out once more, and the clash between the enemies resumed anew.
At that, Gongsun Beon cautiously poked his head out again.
Yelü Seung had warned him that if he did not observe properly, claiming he would leave the battle recorded in a tome, he would tear out his eyeballs.
‘……So this is the form-shaped qi I’ve only ever heard about.’
As he watched the unimaginable power of the two absolute beings, a low murmur escaped him involuntarily.
Sreuk—.
Uwoong!
The talisman hidden within Gongsun Beon’s robes suddenly emitted a faint light along with a resonant hum.
“?!”
[…Vice Sect Leader? Is that you?]
At the same time, a sharp voice pierced directly into Gongsun Beon’s mind.
It was the ability of the Heaven-Piercing Gang’s high-grade treasure, the Sound-Sealing Talisman, activating—allowing communication when the two parties were within roughly ten ri of each other.
The moment he heard it, Gongsun Beon recognized the owner of the voice.
It was Baek Choryang, the Ghost-Wailing Blood Warrior, leader of the Guihwa Unit, which could be considered Heaven-Piercing Gang’s highest-tier combat force.
‘Wait—if this bastard is here, then……!’
In that instant, a strange glimmer appeared in Gongsun Beon’s eyes, which until now had been filled only with fear.
[Yes, that’s right. I moved here in advance together with the Poison Demon.]
[But what in the world is going on? The mountainside below is littered with allied corpses! And I can sense two Manifestation Realm existences—did the Sword Emperor come here as well?!]
Baek Choryang failed to hide his agitation and immediately began firing off questions.
From his perspective, he could not help but be shaken.
Even if the Tang Clan’s combat forces had arrived faster than them, he would have expected them to be locked in a fierce stalemate on the mountainside, unable to break through due to the overwhelming disparity in numbers.
Gongsun Beon responded calmly.
[At the summit, Yelü Seung and the Blood-Thread Tyrant are currently clashing.]
[Th-the Blood-Thread Tyrant’s martial prowess has truly reached the Manifestation Realm?]
[Yes. Not merely at the threshold—he has reached full maturity.]
[N-no. Full maturity of the Manifestation Realm? What does that even—?!]
Just as Gongsun Beon had expected, Baek Choryang was struck with shock the moment he heard it.
But before the man could fully collect himself, Gongsun Beon continued.
[Guihwa Unit Leader. Since you are here, that means you received full support of the ‘sorcery bodies’ from the Sect Leader, correct?]
[…Yes, that is correct. The Sect Leader’s command was that even if we were to lose all of the sorcery bodies, we must absolutely eliminate the Blood-Thread Tyrant.]
Good.
As soon as the answer he wanted came from Baek Choryang’s mouth, Gongsun Beon’s expression brightened noticeably.
The sorcery bodies were the worst killing weapons that Heaven-Piercing Gang had been producing in utmost secrecy.
‘That’s right. If those things kill both of them……!’
Killing intent gleamed sharply in his eyes.
It was the only way for Gongsun Beon to escape the curse of the twin Gu parasites.
Then, he uttered a single sentence that would decide his fate.
[Wait a little longer, and when I give the order, that’s when you move in.]
[…What?]
[The battle between the Poison Demon and the Blood-Thread Tyrant will definitely end with at least one of them suffering a fatal injury. That is when you come in!]
[Y-yes, sir!]
After hearing Baek Choryang’s reply, Gongsun Beon twisted the corners of his mouth into a grin.
If it were only ten li, he could arrive right on time just as their fight was coming to an end.
‘The best outcome would be for them to overexert themselves like that, pouring out Form-Shaped Qi at each other until both sides are gravely injured together……!’
It was precisely when Gongsun Beon was hoping for such an ending.
Suaaah-.
Suddenly, a ruthless cold swept through the surroundings, as if even the air itself had frozen solid.
‘……Huh?’
Kwaaaarrr!
Kwagagaga!
Without any warning whatsoever, an unknown energy—one that truly seemed to contain Ten Thousand Demons—began to surge violently from Tang Sewoon’s entire body.
It was the exact moment Sewoon unleashed a new Form-Shaped Qi.
Angcheon Gang certainly possessed tremendous power.
It was a Form-Shaped Qi created by merging the power of Ink Blood, Divine Poison Qi, and Innate True Qi into one.
However, Angcheon Gang was not the strongest power Sewoon possessed.
Ink Blood formed the physical condition that allowed his body to endure Form-Shaped Qi.
Innate True Qi restored, in real time, the life force that was constantly being consumed.
And Divine Poison Qi, the primary source of power, was already controllable at his current level.
‘But Reverse Heaven Qi is different.’
That dreadful power belonging to an inhuman, monstrous existence.
Reverse Heaven Qi, the power of the Blood Demon, continued to torment him even after he had reached full mastery of the Manifestation Realm.
Kwaduk!
Hwaruruk!
Look—even now, the moment he pushed Reverse Heaven Qi to its limits, it was already crushing and burning all of his qi and meridians as it rampaged through him.
Previously, the most crucial factor in completing Angcheon Gang had been harmony between the three forces.
Only when Ink Blood, Innate True Qi, and Divine Poison Qi were perfectly balanced did that power multiply severalfold.
But……
‘Reverse Heaven Qi has to be used in a completely different way.’
Kwaaaarrr!
Kwagagaga!
With momentum as if to destroy the world itself, Sewoon spread the raging torrent of Reverse Heaven Qi throughout his entire body.
Every minor meridian, the lower Dantian, and even the upper Dantian—without exception.
Kwagagagaga!
Hwarururuk!
The Reverse Heaven Qi, which until now had been endlessly suppressed and constrained, was running completely wild.
It was no different from committing suicide, yet Sewoon clenched his teeth and offered up everything he had.
‘Go on. Eat your fill.’
Kwaduk!
Kwaddeuk!
Though it was described as a fusion, the process of turning Reverse Heaven Qi into Form-Shaped Qi was, in truth, nothing more than all other energies being ‘devoured’ by Reverse Heaven Qi.
Kwaaaarrr!
Kwagagaga!
Only after it had filled itself to the point where there was nothing left to consume did Reverse Heaven Qi finally reveal a new power to all under heaven.
And all of this occurred within an infinitesimal gap, a moment sliced thinner than a moment.
‘That is……!’
The instant a strange light appeared in Yelü Sheng’s eyes.
Pasusus!
Chwaaah!
Venomous insects containing Shinmae Flux inside their bodies blackened the sky as they fiercely flew toward Sewoon.
Their speed was such that, even at full mastery of the Manifestation Realm, it was already far too late to evade.
Yes, clearly, the scene that should have unfolded was Sewoon being completely engulfed by the venomous insects and meeting his death.
Hwiik!
Chwarara!
“……!”
Yet Sewoon’s figure was already gone from that spot.
He had merely taken a single step forward.
And the venomous insects that had filled the sky vanished without a trace, as if it were all a lie.
Only Yelü Sheng alone realized what Sewoon had just done.
‘They didn’t disappear. They were erased!’
He saw it.
At the very instant the venomous insects covered Sewoon, Sewoon lightly raised both hands.
Pasusus!
Chijijijik!
And all of his venomous insects had their very existence erased from the air.
Paaaat-!
Kwarung!
At that moment, Sewoon kicked off the ground and charged forward like a bolt of lightning.
Watching this, the Poison Demon suddenly burst into maniacal laughter.
“Kuahaha!! How amusing, how very amusing!!”
“Yes, show your master everything you have!!”
The Heavenly Threads that had been spread out in dozens, even hundreds of strands had, before anyone realized it, been reduced to a single strand in each of his left and right hands.
And within those single strands of Heavenly Thread was the new Form-Shaped Qi that Sewoon had created.
‘Reverse Heaven Gang!’
Reverse Heaven Gang.
A Form-Shaped Qi focused entirely on amplifying Reverse Heaven Qi by offering up every other energy within his body as sacrifice.
Kwaddeuk!
Kwaddeuddeuk!
Reverse Heaven Gang seemed eager to burst Sewoon’s body apart at any moment and escape outward.
But Sewoon absolutely refused to let go of that power, vast as the ocean.
‘Shut up! I’ll give you more! So follow my orders!!’
Even as the horrific pain of his internal organs being torn apart and burned by hellfire engulfed him, Sewoon endured it lightly.
‘You’re the first, Yelü Sheng!’
This level of pain was something he could smile through, as long as it meant cutting down the enemy before his eyes.
Paaaat!
Kwaaaarrr!
At last, Sewoon swung the twin Heavenly Threads at the Poison Demon.
Chwaaaaa!
Wiiiing!!
“Come on!!”
The Poison Demon did not evade either. From his empty sleeve, he unleashed venomous insects once more, while his other hand released a surge of palm force.
In the void, the powers of two absolute beings were about to collide.