Chapter 138 – Clash (2)

As the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven moved his hand, the palm of the golden Buddha struck Yu-jin’s entire body. The protective aura of the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts surrounding Yu-jin could not withstand the overwhelming power and finally shattered.

*Crash!*

Yu-jin’s body was sent flying. When he struggled back to his feet, he was a wreck. In a single blow, his nose was broken and his ribs were fractured.

The blood vessels in the afflicted area began to swell. He was in a state where he could die at any moment.

But the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven frowned at the sight of Yu-jin’s smiling face.

Just then, something happened to Yu-jin’s body that would have astonished even a man of his stature.

*Wooooong!*

With a slight nod from Yu-jin, his ravaged body returned to its original state. The Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts had steadily repaired his body.

A regenerative power obtained by maximizing his life force. Although, unlike the Heavenly Demon, Yu-jin would die if his brain were destroyed, the ability he currently possessed was still immense.

“As I thought, this isn’t enough to face you.”

The Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, who was risking his life to fight Yu-jin, was strong. So strong that Yu-jin, who should have held a far more dominant advantage, could only fight him on equal terms.

After speaking, Yu-jin unfurled the Wings of Light, channeling the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts. Thirteen massive wings, imbued with an ominous light.

*Woooooong!*

Their overwhelming presence was no less imposing than the Great Dharma Master’s golden Buddha.

The Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven frowned at the ominous nature of the Wings of Light and made the golden Buddha even stronger. Each time he did, his life force dwindled ceaselessly, but it was the only way to kill Yu-jin.

‘If I can kill this man, it matters not if I fail to die in Tibet. The man before me will be a greater threat to Tibet than any other.’

The golden Buddha threw a punch, and the wings of light flew toward it in response.

Watching Yu-jin with his Wings of Light unfurled, people felt as if their breath was being stolen.

Wings of pure light, without a single speck of impurity. Though their color was ominous and alien, the energy itself was exceedingly pure.

Yu-jin’s immense presence, with his Wings of Light unfurled, dominated the entire battlefield.

*Craaash! Craaash!*

Despite the overwhelming difference in momentum, the Great Dharma Master’s golden Buddha relentlessly threw massive punches at Yu-jin.

The golden Buddha unleashed a relentless barrage of blows, each powerful enough to annihilate a mountain. But Yu-jin’s Wings of Light spun continuously, blocking every one of the golden Buddha’s attacks.

Then, using the wings he had yet to swing, Yu-jin formed a massive spear and pierced the golden Buddha.

*CRACK-CRASH!*

A constant roar erupted between them, and the very earth trembled. The battle between the two had already escalated to a level that even the absolute masters of the Profound Realm could not interfere with.

Yu-jin manipulated the Wings of Light, piercing through the golden Buddha’s entire body once more. As if that wasn’t enough, he launched hundreds, thousands of feathers, striking the golden Buddha all over. Not a single one of those feathers shone.

“Ugh…”

Under this indiscriminate assault, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven’s face turned deathly pale, as if he too felt the pain. An immense pressure was applied to his already dying body, causing blood to burst from his weak points.

However, despite being so brutally attacked, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven did not yield and continued to channel his power. Slowly, very slowly, his golden Buddha began to push Yu-jin back.

No matter how many times it was pierced and torn by the Wings of Light, the golden Buddha silently threw palms at Yu-jin, threatening him.

‘Where does a dying man get such strength!?’

Yu-jin wore an expression of disbelief even as he blocked the Great Dharma Master’s attacks. Whether he used the Wings of Light to form a spear and thrust, or a sword to slash, the golden Buddha did not stop.

And this was despite the fact that the golden Buddha’s face was already contorted beyond recognition from Yu-jin’s tremendous attacks.

Every time the golden Buddha swung its hand, boulders larger than most houses were shattered, and materialized inner energy formed a vortex, striking Yu-jin’s Wings of Light.

“I will do whatever it takes to kill you.”

Even if it meant burning his own life away, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven had no intention of stopping.

At that moment, the golden Buddha spread its arms horizontally, and hundreds of massive beams of light shot out.

“What is this?”

The light was as bright as the original Wings of Light. The beams intertwined and tangled, forming a massive prison that trapped Yu-jin.

It was a scene akin to creating another world within the world.

Feeling a sense of foreboding, Yu-jin spread his Wings of Light even wider and struck the prisons.

*CRACK-CRASH!*

A massive roar echoed continuously, but surprisingly, the prison of light did not break at all. Seeing the prison of light remain intact despite his powerful attack, Yu-jin’s face contorted into a deep frown.

‘What in the world is this?’

The immense pressure crushing his entire body rendered him powerless. Moreover, even under the protection of the Wings of Light’s power, his body felt like it was about to be twisted apart.

Was this an energy that was the very antithesis of a being like Yu-jin? In contrast, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven seemed to have gained vitality, no longer exuding the aura of death as before.

It might have been a phenomenon possible only within this space, but that alone was more than enough to fluster Yu-jin.

But the power of the prison of light was not simply its durability. As if to prove this, the golden Buddha extended its hand forcefully and struck Yu-jin.

*Crack!*

A part of the Wings of Light’s protective aura shattered, and Yu-jin’s body rolled across the ground. In that state, the immense pressure that had seeped through the gap created by the broken aura completely immobilized him.

“What kind of barrier is this…”

Wiping the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, Yu-jin looked at the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven. At least his regenerative ability was still functioning properly, so recovery was not an issue.

Yu-jin’s eyes, as he looked at the Great Dharma Master, were filled with intense questioning.

“This power is a technique called the Light Prison Boundary. Before this barrier of light, no being can overcome the martial arts of Buddhism. It is also a technique I once created to annihilate a demon who called himself the Mara of the Heavens. No matter how strong your power is, you cannot defeat me within this space.”

‘Ah, the Heavenly Demon. That bastard…’

Yu-jin ground his teeth and once again protected his body with the Wings of Light. But the chances of defeating the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, who was receiving an infinite supply of power within the Light Prison, were slim.

‘Just like Bukri Hwan.’

Within the region of the Northern Sea, Bukri Hwan boasted absolute power. He received an infinite supply of energy from the sky and atmosphere, and demonstrated power befitting it.

The Light Prison also provided the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven with enormous power while thoroughly preventing Yu-jin’s power from recovering.

“However, I can only use this power once in my lifetime. It’s not effective against those who have mastered purely righteous martial arts, so I rarely have a use for it. But it seems to work on you. Ominous one.”

“Haha, to think you were hiding a technique like this…”

Yu-jin gave a bitter smile and glared at the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven.

But the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven simply looked at Yu-jin and calmly announced his end.

“It is over.”

The golden Buddha brought its hands together, and an absurdly massive amount of energy began to gather in its palms. And when the golden Buddha unleashed it, a Heavenly Dipper Seal, incomparably larger than any before, swallowed Yu-jin whole.

Just before the force of the Heavenly Dipper Seal consumed him, Yu-jin’s Wings of Light turned black.

***

*CRACK-CRACK-CRASH!*

The force of the Heavenly Dipper Seal became a tidal wave, relentlessly pushing against Yu-jin. But the face of the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, who was launching the attack, was stiff. He didn’t feel at all like he had swallowed Yu-jin.

No, on the contrary, he felt a strong repulsive force coming from Yu-jin. And within the pure white force, he could see a black light.

It was an inky blackness, purer than anything else, and for that very reason, ominous. The thirteen inky wings twisted and intertwined, merging into one.

The combined power blocked the force of the Heavenly Dipper Seal, which had been greatly enhanced within the Light Prison Boundary.

“Since you are betting everything you have to kill me, I shall also release my power.”

No sooner had Yu-jin’s words ended than a colossal presence roared.

*KUUUOOOOOOH!*

Not only the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, who was close by, but also the Tibetan martial artists who had retreated far more than a hundred paces away, trembled. This phenomenon occurred even though the energy inside, trapped by the Light Prison Boundary, could not escape.

The power surrounding Yu-jin continued to grow stronger. And when that power reached its peak, the form of a massive Ink Dragon emerged, coiling around Yu-jin’s body.

*CRAAAAAAASH!*

The moment the Ink Dragon descended upon the earth, the seemingly unbreakable Light Prison Boundary shattered.

“It can’t be…”

Everyone was at a loss for words, staring at the form of the Ink Dragon coiling around Yu-jin’s body.

No one was mistaken that it wasn’t a real dragon, but its presence was so immense. It was as if they were looking at a true dragon.

It wasn’t just its lifelike quality. An immense presence, as if it were the only being in the world, emanated from the Ink Dragon.

“Ugh…”

The Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven swallowed a groan and looked at the Ink Dragon wrapped around Yu-jin’s body. The power of the Ink Dragon seemed in no way inferior, even when compared to the Heavenly Demon’s Asura form.

But he once again activated the Light Prison Boundary, trapping both Yu-jin and the Ink Dragon.

However, unlike before, Yu-jin smiled leisurely. The immense pressure crushed down on his body, but it couldn’t do anything to Yu-jin, who was protected by the Ink Dragon.

“Hah!”

The Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven’s golden Buddha threw a pure white, glowing hand to strike Yu-jin. But when it struck the Ink Dragon’s body, it was the golden Buddha’s glowing hand that shattered. Nevertheless, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven did not give up and made the golden Buddha move.

“It’s useless.”

*KUUUOOOH!*

As the Ink Dragon roared and swung its claw, the golden Buddha’s arm was severed. Of course, it recovered quickly, but the shock received by the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, whose spirit was connected to the golden Buddha, was immense.

“It is not over yet.”

No sooner had the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven spoken than the golden Buddha began to grow even larger and stronger. And at the same time, the Great Dharma Master’s face aged rapidly.

The fact that the phenomenon of aging was progressing in his body, which should have been fine receiving vitality within the Light Prison Boundary, meant that the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven was betting his all.

“You intend to end this in a single blow? Very well.”

A heat haze shimmered from behind the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven. It was a phenomenon caused by him offering not only his vital essence but also his very soul.

A single blow containing a person’s entire life was about to be unleashed.

“For my disciples, for the people, for the nation, I will take you with me with my own hands.”

The golden Buddha, having reached the pinnacle of its power, channeled the Heavenly Dipper Seal in one hand and the Heavenly Thunderclap Palm in the other. And in the end, the two powers, which seemed impossible to merge, combined and shot out toward Yu-jin.

“A fine blow.”

Saying so, Yu-jin drew his Ink Dragon Sword for the first time since he began fighting the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven. Then, he activated the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword. At that, the Ink Dragon spewed forth a massive amount of energy gathered in its mouth.

*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRASH!*

Thus, light and darkness clashed, and the Light Prison Boundary vanished without a trace.

***

When the two colossal powers collided, Yu-jin could feel his consciousness being sucked somewhere. It was a pure white world where nothing existed.

[For what do you yearn, that you would obtain such an ominous power?]

Though he could not see the form, Yu-jin realized the voice he heard was that of the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven. Yu-jin answered his question without a moment’s hesitation.

“I obtained it for my own survival. The being you call a ghost of the past is my father and also my ancestor. But he saw me as nothing more than a vessel for himself. I did not want my existence to be stolen by another. That is why I obtained power. If I shouldn’t learn it because it is an ominous power, does that mean I should just die? Does that mean my soul must be thoroughly erased and my body handed over to that man?”

At Yu-jin’s anguished cry, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven could say nothing. As one who had devoted himself to Buddhism, how could he tell a person to die? All life was precious.

“And there is a great darkness. A great darkness that seems poised to swallow the world. As you said, I am an ominous being. For within me lies a darkness that can rival that great darkness. However, I do not wish for my darkness to swallow the world. What I desire is survival! And after that, the inherent desires of a human being, not the domination of the world.”

After hearing all of Yu-jin’s words, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven said nothing. But Yu-jin could feel him let out a sigh.

[Can you truly swear that you have no intention of becoming a threat to the world?]

Yu-jin had no interest in such things. What he desired was a utopia where countless women served him and him alone.

Why would he volunteer for such a troublesome task as ruling the world? Therefore, Yu-jin answered without hesitation.

“If there is no one in the world who threatens me, I have no desire to do such a bothersome thing.”

[Is that so? I shall try to believe you. I leave those who followed me, those who believe in me, and my homeland in your care.]

*CRAAAAAAASH!*

With those words, even the pure white world completely vanished, and Yu-jin could feel his consciousness waver once more. And that was the end.