novelraw Chapter 31 : Chapter 31
Chapter 31 : Chapter 31
Chapter 31 - The Tang Family’s Last Dagger (2)
Jaun’s energy, which had been wavering in reaction to the Demonic Energy, stabilized in an instant.
The Demonic Energy that filled the surroundings vanished as if washed away, and only Hyeon-dam’s energy, like warm sunlight, hovered around.
“Huh……. Diamond Prajna Zen Art. You weren't just a fake monk, were you?”
Man Chu-pyeong, having checked the instantly scattered Demonic Energy, looked at Hyeon-dam with surprised eyes and clapped his hands once. Clap.
“Ah. I remember! You, you are Hye-seung’s disciple, right?”
“Do not speak my master’s name with that filthy mouth!”
Hyeon-dam shouted as if screaming at Man Chu-pyeong’s words.
“Kuk kuk. Anyway, you’re an odd guy. If you are Hye-seung’s disciple, you should be in a pretty high position in Shaolin. For such a guy to be here instead of protecting Shaolin…… Aha. Did you take quite a shock from your master’s death? Come to think of it, did you witness your master being torn to shreds by the Blood Demon’s hands back then?”
Hyeon-dam’s energy flared up rapidly at Man Chu-pyeong’s words mocking his master’s death.
“You bastard!”
Unable to endure it any longer, powerful Fist Energy shot out from Hyeon-dam’s hand and flew toward Man Chu-pyeong.
─ Paaang!
Man Chu-pyeong, having struck away Hyeon-dam’s Fist Energy with one hand, chuckled.
“Is this what they call an ill-fated relationship? For both master and disciple to die at the hands of the Cult members. No. No. Rather, it must be a great honor. It’s practically receiving the great grace of the Demon God.”
“Shut up!”
Hyeon-dam’s fist, teeth clenched, flew at Man Chu-pyeong once again.
─ Kwaang!
Man Chu-pyeong’s eyes narrowed slightly as he received Hyeon-dam’s fierce attack.
“Tsk. The Prajna Zen Art is just totally unlucky, you know.”
As if his arm was numb from being hit by the refined Buddhist energy, Man Chu-pyeong shook his arm in the air once.
Then Man Chu-pyeong brought his two fists forward and took a proper stance.
─ Shuuung
In an instant, Man Chu-pyeong’s extended Fist Energy headed for Hyeon-dam.
Hyeon-dam, who barely dodged the Fist Energy, kicked off the ground and rushed at Man Chu-pyeong again.
“Where!”
Man Chu-pyeong stretched his hand out wide toward the rushing Hyeon-dam.
Then, Demonic Energy poured out in an instant and began to flow toward Hyeon-dam.
As the pouring Demonic Energy wrapped around Hyeon-dam’s body, his speed began to decrease rapidly.
Sweat dripped down from the forehead of Hyeon-dam, who was raising his energy to oppose the Demonic Energy.
“Raaah!”
Hyeon-dam clenched his teeth and began to move forward, piercing through the Demonic Energy.
Hyeon-dam’s body, cutting through the roughly pouring Demonic Energy, was soon glowing with a faint golden light.
Hyeon-dam, who had struggled to break through the Demonic Energy, threw a fist at Man Chu-pyeong again.
─ Kwaang!
Man Chu-pyeong, having caught Hyeon-dam’s flying fist with one hand, grinned and thrust his opposite hand straight toward Hyeon-dam.
‘Danger.’
Jaun, who was watching from the side, quickly drew Moon Fang from his waist.
─ Pakang
Man Chu-pyeong’s fist, aiming for Hyeon-dam’s side, was blocked by Jaun’s sword.
“……What is this brat?”
Man Chu-pyeong, looking at his hand that had bounced off, turned his gaze to Jaun with an expression of interest.
“Senior. Keep attacking. I will cover the openings.”
Hyeon-dam, looking at Jaun who had approached and stood next to him with complicated eyes, nodded.
“I will put aside my personal greed. So, instead of protecting me, make sure you stick a sword in that damned bastard.”
Hyeon-dam tapped Jaun’s shoulder once and rushed toward Man Chu-pyeong again.
─ Peoeong
─ Peong! Peong!
Hyeon-dam’s movements, having let go of everything, were ferocious.
It was a precise stance as if looking at a textbook of Shaolin martial arts, but inside, boiling anger was contained.
Unlike Demonic Arts which explosively burst energy to generate great power in an instant, Shaolin’s martial arts were characterized by maintaining a stable flow and gradually increasing power.
Man Chu-pyeong aimed for gaps several times to cut off Hyeon-dam’s continuous flow, but each time, Jaun’s sword blocked his aim.
“This guy……!”
Thanks to that, increasingly greater power began to be imbued in Hyeon-dam’s fists, continuing the chain attacks without significant interference.
Man Chu-pyeong’s body, receiving the continuously pouring attacks of Hyeon-dam, began to shake heavily.
“These bastards, seriously, since I’m going easy on you!”
Man Chu-pyeong, clenching his teeth, stepped back and widened the distance.
Hyeon-dam, his eyes twinkling, did not miss that gap and shot straight toward Man Chu-pyeong.
─ Peoeok!
Hyeon-dam’s fist struck Man Chu-pyeong’s body hard.
“Keoheok……”
Blood spurted out from Man Chu-pyeong’s mouth with a splat.
Thinking he had seized the opportunity, Hyeon-dam rushed at Man Chu-pyeong’s chest.
At that moment, a fishy smile hung on Man Chu-pyeong’s lips.
“Kukuk. Got you. You bastard.”
“Uh-uh……?!”
To create a gap in Hyeon-dam, Man Chu-pyeong had intentionally taken the fist with his body.
Man Chu-pyeong’s hands, having taken the fist with his body, were in a free situation.
“Prepare yourself.”
Man Chu-pyeong, snatching Hyeon-dam’s arm with one hand, extended his other hand straight at Hyeon-dam.
It was the same method as a moment ago, but the level of Demonic Energy contained was different.
The explosively increased Demonic Energy created a dark red film on Man Chu-pyeong’s hand.
Jaun urgently thrust his sword out and received Man Chu-pyeong’s attack together with Hyeon-dam, but Man Chu-pyeong’s attack, with condensed power, was not at a level to be ignored.
─ Kwaaaaang!
Because they couldn't properly absorb the impact, Jaun and Hyeon-dam’s bodies flew backward like kites with cut strings.
The bodies of the two, rolling on the ground for a while, came to a stop.
“Cough!”
Blood gushed out from the mouth of Hyeon-dam, who had taken most of Man Chu-pyeong’s energy to prevent Jaun from getting hurt somehow.
Hyeon-dam, looking at Man Chu-pyeong with bloodshot eyes as if feeling unjust, tried to raise his body several times, but his body, with its Qi and blood already shaken, did not listen.
“A guy who will fall into the Avici Hell……”
The light slowly faded from Hyeon-dam’s eyes as he looked at Man Chu-pyeong with clenched teeth.
Jaun, confirming that Hyeon-dam had lost consciousness, looked around once and slowly raised his body.
‘Even if Senior Hyeon-dam was excited, to be subdued in just a few moves…… He’s not a guy to be taken lightly.’
Man Chu-pyeong, confirming Jaun raising his body, tilted his head.
“You endured that and stood up?”
Jaun, looking at Man Chu-pyeong, cracked his neck.
Crack.
As if his pride was hurt, Man Chu-pyeong rushed in at tremendous speed and extended a fist at Jaun.
─ Pakang!
Jaun, having lightly parried the rushing Man Chu-pyeong’s fist strike, spun his body to add rotational force and then extended his leg toward Man Chu-pyeong.
─ Peoeok!
Man Chu-pyeong raised his energy to protect his arm, but the moment Jaun’s foot touched his arm, he felt the raised Demonic Energy disappear like smoke.
And the forearm hit by Jaun’s foot instantly turned deep blue.
At that sight, Man Chu-pyeong frowned heavily.
“What is this?”
Man Chu-pyeong asked Jaun with an incomprehensible expression while looking at his bruised arm.
“What do you mean, what? It means you are not my opponent.”
Since the watching eyes were gone, the restrictions on utilizing Demonic Energy disappeared.
As Jaun properly raised his Demonic Energy, Man Chu-pyeong’s energy wavered here and there.
Although he possessed a considerable amount of internal energy, his skill in utilizing Demonic Energy was several levels below Jaun.
No matter how strong a master, if they could not properly use Demonic Energy, they could not be a match for Jaun.
“Ha. What nonsense is this bastard spouting right now……”
Jaun ran toward Man Chu-pyeong, who was looking down at him as if he was absurd.
‘Demonic Energy that you cannot utilize properly is not yours.’
─ Chaeng!
Man Chu-pyeong’s expression distorted once again as he received the sword shot out by Jaun.
‘It’s practically mine.’
Feeling his energy draining away again, Man Chu-pyeong stepped back one step after another with a flustered expression.
Man Chu-pyeong’s hands, receiving Jaun’s consecutive attacks, became increasingly dizzy.
‘Below.’
Jaun, having dodged Man Chu-pyeong’s foot sweeping his legs, quickly turned his body in the air this time and extended his sword.
─ Seogeok
Man Chu-pyeong’s gauntlet was sliced and fell to the ground with a thud.
“This f*cking brat……!”
Boiling with anger, Man Chu-pyeong drew up a full load of Demonic Energy and blasted it straight at Jaun.
─ Hwaak
Demonic Energy.
That energy, infinitely close to death, encroached upon Jaun’s body and surroundings.
For a moment, his hands and feet felt heavy, and his head spun with dizziness.
But that time was only for a split second.
Jaun smiled upon confirming that the Demonic Energy scattered around him was seeping into his body and heading toward his dantian.
Jaun, having absorbed the Demonic Energy scattered by Man Chu-pyeong, rushed forward again.
Seeing Jaun rushing in as if nothing had happened despite being hit by his Demonic Energy, Man Chu-pyeong’s expression distorted heavily.
“What the hell is this……”
─ Chwaak!
Jaun’s sword, stabbing like the wind, grazed Man Chu-pyeong’s cheek.
Man Chu-pyeong stepped back a few paces with a shocked expression.
“This can’t be! How can the Demon God’s energy be so easily……!”
Jaun gathered his energy once more and swung his sword.
─ Chwaak
Blood splattered from Man Chu-pyeong’s shoulder where Jaun’s sword had grazed.
Just as Jaun was taking a stance to sprinkle his sword for the last time, a loud shout shook the surroundings.
“Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!”
At the sound of Yeon Seung-il’s voice, Jaun hurriedly suppressed his Demonic Energy.
Yeon Seung-il’s figure, having exited the formation, appeared in the air.
A huge energy like a raging wave poured out from Yeon Seung-il’s sword and surged toward Man Chu-pyeong.
─ Kwaaang!
Man Chu-pyeong’s arm shook greatly after receiving Yeon Seung-il’s massive Sword Energy.
A situation where he had suffered greater internal injuries than expected in the short confrontation with Jaun.
Blood dripped down from the corner of the mouth of Man Chu-pyeong, who had been pushed back for a while.
Raising his head, Man Chu-pyeong glanced at Yeon Seung-il.
“Hainan…… Sword Ghost.”
Feeling that he was at a disadvantage with Yeon Seung-il’s appearance, Man Chu-pyeong spat on the ground.
Ptoo.
“Count yourself lucky, brat. I don’t know what kind of evil art you used, but there won't be any more luck like this next time.”
Man Chu-pyeong, grinding his teeth while glaring at Jaun, looked around.
Quickly scanning the surroundings as if memorizing the location of the Tang Family’s formation, Man Chu-pyeong threw his body backward, took out a signal tube from his bosom, and fired it straight into the sky.
─ Peoeong
Dark red smoke filled the sky.
“Wait, for I will return soon.
You abandoned bastards of the Murim Alliance.”
Man Chu-pyeong fled with a fishy smile.
Yeon Seung-il, who was about to chase after the fleeing Man Chu-pyeong, shook his head once, turned around, and ran to Jaun.
“Rookie. Are you okay?”
“I am fine. More importantly, Senior Hyeon-dam……”
Jaun’s hand pointed toward the fallen Hyeon-dam.
Approaching Hyeon-dam, Yeon Seung-il took out a wooden case from his bosom, opened it, and shoved a small pill into his mouth.
“Let’s go back inside the manor for now. Although the location has been exposed, it is still slightly safer inside the formation.”
Yeon Seung-il, carrying Hyeon-dam on his back, flew to the place where he had appeared and stopped walking.
“Follow exactly the path I tread. You can do it, right?”
As Jaun nodded, Yeon Seung-il moved quickly, stepping here and there, and Jaun chased after him.
***
Entering the Tang Family’s formation, Yeon Seung-il carefully laid Hyeon-dam on the ground.
“Is your squad member okay?”
A man with a tired face asked Yeon Seung-il.
“Fortunately, his life doesn't seem to be in danger. It seems his internal energy has been shaken up a bit.”
Yeon Seung-il, massaging Hyeon-dam’s body, raised his energy and began tapping here and there.
The man, who had been staring blankly at Jaun standing behind Yeon Seung-il, approached and reached out his hand.
“I am Tang Il-bi of the Tang Clan. Thank you for your help. You worked hard.”
“I am Han Jaun of the Anti-Demon Squad.”
Jaun grasped Tang Il-bi’s hand. After a light handshake, Tang Il-bi smiled and bowed deeply toward Jaun.
“I showed a shameful sight. For a Tang Family member to be trapped in a mechanism and waste time. Please forget today’s events. The Tang Family also had no spare strength due to frequent clashes with the Demonic Cult.”
“Excuses. The Closed Training Cave mechanism was beyond rusty; it was crumbling away. Didn't you feel anything strange when you went in?”
At Yeon Seung-il’s words as he got up, Tang Il-bi scratched his head.
“It was my first time going in too, so how would I know? I just thought, ‘Are the mechanisms here originally this noisy?’ and let it pass.”
Yeon Seung-il shook his head from side to side and approached Tang Il-bi.
Hesitating for a long time, Yeon Seung-il carefully placed a hand on Tang Il-bi’s back.
Yeon Seung-il’s heavy voice flowed out.
“I am sorry. The people of the Tang Family Village…… We couldn't save many.”
“Don't say such things. How is that your fault? It is the fault of my foolish self who was trapped inside the mechanism while people like family were falling.”
Blood dripped down from Tang Il-bi’s tightly clenched hand.
Jaun looked at Tang Il-bi’s hand.
As if he had forcibly dismantled the broken mechanism to get out, all his fingernails were missing, revealing raw red flesh.
In Tang Il-bi’s sorrowful smile and the wounds left on his hands, Jaun could feel the bone-carving pain and self-reproach.
“First, I ordered the second-generation disciples to go out and evacuate the people who couldn't enter the Mechanism Formation into the mountains.
We have no choice but to pray that everyone is safe.”
Yeon Seung-il, tapping Tang Il-bi’s back, sighed.
“It’s unfortunate, but I think it would be better to give up this manor and retreat. From what we’ve confirmed, it seems at least two combat squads have come here.”
Tang Il-bi, who was lost in thought, nodded and looked up at the sky.
“If we can preserve our lives, this kind of building is not important. More importantly, there is no contact from the Tang Family’s core members who went out to meet the Demonic Cult’s main force. Most likely……”
Tang Il-bi, who could not easily continue his words, let out a deep sigh.
“……I was foolish. What wind blew to make me enter closed training? I clearly knew this would happen someday. Instead of closed training, I should have somehow lent a hand to the Tang Family.”
Tang Il-bi’s blood-covered hands trembled slightly. Having swallowed his rising emotions, Tang Il-bi continued speaking.
“What can be done now? It has already happened. The only choice now is to evacuate even the remaining people as safely as possible. I will instruct the family members to move all the villagers who have taken refuge in the manor to the escape route. If the formation can hold the Demonic Cult bastards even a little, most should be able to escape safely.”
─ Kwaaaaang!
Before Tang Il-bi could even finish his sentence, the sound of something exploding was heard from a close distance.
At that sound, Tang Il-bi hurriedly turned his gaze toward the manor gate.
The large jujube tree planted right in front of the Tang Family’s manor gate swayed, then shattered and scattered with a crackling sound.
“……The formation is already broken?”
Tang Il-bi’s body, turned pale, froze on the spot.