Chapter 142 – Clash (6)

Unable to contain his rage at Yu-jin’s provocation, Kang Yu-hyeon swung his Mind Sword forcefully. The iridescent vortex that had previously cracked the Great Dharma Master’s golden Buddha flew toward Yu-jin.

‘This one is a bit dangerous.’

It was an attack so powerful that even the Wings of Light, formed by channeling the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts, might be destroyed. For the first time in his fight against Kang Yu-hyeon, Yu-jin drew the Ink Dragon Sword and swung it.

At that moment, a torrent of inky blackness, rivaling—or perhaps even surpassing—the iridescent vortex Kang Yu-hyeon had unleashed, swirled and shot forward.

*CRACK-CRACK-CRASH!*

‘Tch!’

Because he had hastily used the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword without properly gathering his power, Yu-jin’s attack was inevitably pushed back.

However, Yu-jin remained unfazed. He poured more power into his attack, stopping Kang Yu-hyeon’s from advancing any further, then swiftly swung his sword horizontally to divert the two forces elsewhere.

*BOOOOOM!*

The colossal clash of the two powers carved a massive crater near the garden, but both men stood as if nothing had happened.

Kang Yu-hyeon stared at Yu-jin in astonishment. The technique he had just used was the Demon-Annihilating Divine Sword, a martial art he had specially created to defeat the Heavenly Demon’s Asura Annihilation Sword.

It was a powerful attack that maximized the power of yin and yang energy obtained through the Two Principles Mind Arts, then focused and unleashed it from a single point. He never imagined it could be blocked.

“It’s a formidable technique, but it falls short compared to the Heavenly Demon’s Asura Annihilation Sword.”

“What did you say!”

Kang Yu-hyeon, who harbored a strong inferiority complex toward the Heavenly Demon, screamed involuntarily. He was already flustered that his attack had been blocked, but hearing it compared unfavorably to the Heavenly Demon’s naturally sent him into a greater rage.

A terrifying light flashed in Kang Yu-hyeon’s eyes. Immense fury overflowed from them, and a bright yet sinister aura began to rise around him.

*Fwoosh!*

Kang Yu-hyeon charged forward at incredible speed, swinging his Mind Sword, ‘Heavenly Sword,’ at Yu-jin. It was a strike so swift that any ordinary martial artist would have been decapitated.

But Yu-jin, not to be outdone, imbued his sword with a powerful aura channeled from the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts and blocked Kang Yu-hyeon’s Heavenly Sword.

Normally, a regular aura couldn’t block the Mind Sword, but the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts—the most unusual energy in the world—managed to stop it without being cut.

“You’d do well to abandon the idea that the Mind Sword is invincible!”

“And you should abandon any thought of defeating me with a sword!”

Kang Yu-hyeon roared in response to Yu-jin’s words. He then began swinging his sword at a terrifying speed, relentlessly driving his attacks toward Yu-jin’s body.

Each and every strike was incredibly fast and powerful, enough to make even Yu-jin, who was defending, frown.

He could predict the trajectory of the first and second attacks to dodge or block them, but as Kang Yu-hyeon’s sword grew faster, it became increasingly difficult to defend.

*Slaaash!*

“Damn it!”

Attacks he could no longer block began to slice into Yu-jin’s torso, leaving wounds. Of course, the injuries healed quickly, and he felt almost no pain, but constantly allowing attacks to land was inevitably taking a toll.

What was strange, however, was how ordinary Kang Yu-hyeon’s swordsmanship seemed. It was fast, but not so fast that he couldn’t follow it with his eyes. It was strong, but not so strong that Yu-jin couldn’t block it with his power. Yet, for some reason, he couldn’t block it.

‘Does his experience from living for hundreds of years count for something?’

Realizing he couldn’t win against Kang Yu-hyeon with simple forms, Yu-jin decided to switch to a battle of ultimate techniques. But Kang Yu-hyeon, having noticed that Yu-jin was not adept at wielding a sword, refused to close the distance.

No, Yu-jin’s swordsmanship was quite excellent, but it was bound to be lacking compared to Kang Yu-hyeon, who had dedicated himself to the sword for hundreds of years.

*Slaaash!*

Once again, Kang Yu-hyeon’s Heavenly Sword cut across Yu-jin’s chest, inflicting a wound so deep that bone was exposed. Of course, the wound healed quickly.

But the faint pain that lingered from the wound made Yu-jin grimace. The power of the Mind Sword was subtly neutralizing his regenerative abilities.

Sensing danger if this continued, Yu-jin forcefully channeled the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts.

*Wooooong!*

Six Wings of Light once again enveloped Yu-jin’s body. He hadn’t manifested them to block Kang Yu-hyeon’s attacks, but for a different purpose.

Yu-jin immediately poured power into the wings, and they glowed brightly before exploding on the spot. A startled Kang Yu-hyeon tried to retreat, but the explosion was faster.

*BOOOOOOOOM!*

The garden, which had barely maintained its shape, was completely obliterated by the massive explosion.

Black smoke billowed up. A moment later, Kang Yu-hyeon emerged from the smoke, looking like a complete mess. His clothes were burned in several places, and his entire body was covered in minor burns.

“You crazy bastard!”

Kang Yu-hyeon shouted in fury at this absurd act. He had never dreamed that Yu-jin would self-destruct on the spot, and he couldn’t help but be enraged.

Fortunately, he had quickly deployed his protective aura, preventing himself from being completely swallowed by the explosion. But the impact was so great that large cracks formed in his aura, and his body sustained damage.

So, what about Yu-jin, who had caused such a powerful explosion? Of course, he walked out with an unconcerned expression.

*Woong!*

Although he had suffered more severe injuries than Kang Yu-hyeon, the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts diligently repaired the damage, and his body quickly returned to its original state.

It was an extreme method, but having finally created some distance, Yu-jin smiled and aimed his sword. He knew he couldn’t beat Kang Yu-hyeon in a direct sword fight, so he intended to shift to a battle of ultimate techniques.

“Now, receive my Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword!”

*Rumble!*

As the inky torrent rushed forward, Kang Yu-hyeon hastily unleashed his Demon-Annihilating Divine Sword. Once again, the inky torrent clashed with the iridescent one.

But this time, the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword had been unleashed with its full power, so Kang Yu-hyeon’s Demon-Annihilating Divine Sword was pushed back far too easily.

“Kuh!”

A panicked Kang Yu-hyeon quickly threw himself to the side. But Yu-jin, anticipating this, swiftly closed in and planted a kick on Kang Yu-hyeon’s back.

*BOOOOM!*

Kang Yu-hyeon plummeted vertically and slammed into the ground. The force was so strong that a deep crater formed where he landed.

But as if that wasn’t enough, Yu-jin, still airborne, powerfully infused the Ink Dragon Sword with energy, and once again, an inky vortex began to swirl around the blade.

If this blow landed true, Kang Yu-hyeon would surely die. Just as Yu-jin’s sword took aim at Kang Yu-hyeon, a massive, piercing pain erupted in his brain.

“Kuaaaaargh!”

The pain shot from his brain and enveloped his entire body. It was an agony that made the pain of torn muscles and broken bones seem trivial. The Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword he was channeling was forcibly dispelled, and Yu-jin himself plummeted to the ground.

And then, Kang Yu-hyeon approached the fallen, writhing Yu-jin. He was a mess from climbing out of the crater, but his eyes burned with rage.

‘Is he using it now? The Gu inside me.’

Even as he writhed in pain, Yu-jin let out a faint smile. But since his face was pressed to the ground, Kang Yu-hyeon didn’t see it.

* * *

*Thud!*

“Keuk!”

Kang Yu-hyeon stomped on Yu-jin’s head, smashing it into the ground. Not stopping there, he pressed down with his foot, grinding Yu-jin’s face into the dirt.

Only after Yu-jin’s face was a mangled mess did Kang Yu-hyeon’s anger subside slightly, and he spoke.

“You have developed far more than I anticipated. That makes me desire your body even more.”

“Keuk… honestly, your… attitude… is just pathetic. Trapped by your inferiority complex, living so… wretchedly.”

Seeing Yu-jin run his mouth even while in agony, Kang Yu-hyeon scowled and pressed his foot down harder. But Yu-jin, ignoring the immense pain, continued speaking.

“To think the goal of… all that power you seek… is merely to, ugh, erase your inferiority complex… toward the Heavenly Demon…”

“Shut your mouth!”

With that shout, Kang Yu-hyeon stimulated the Gu inside Yu-jin even more, and the Gu faithfully carried out his command. Yu-jin screamed as another wave of excruciating pain washed over him.

As long as he was a blood relative of the True Dragon Sword Clan, there was no way for him to escape the restraints Kang Yu-hyeon had created. The Gu Kang Yu-hyeon had implanted had taken root during Yu-jin’s very creation, so his body didn’t perceive it as a foreign entity at all.

“Kuaaaaaaargh!”

Watching Kang Yu-jin cry out in agony, Kang Yu-hyeon spoke.

“The martial world is a world where the strong survive. The thoughts of the powerful become the laws of this world. In such a world, the weak are bound to be culled. That is why I pursued power!”

“Heh heh. To think that you… who have lived for hundreds… of years pursuing only power… are weaker than me, who has lived for barely twenty-five years…”

“You’re noisy!”

Before Kang Yu-hyeon’s shout had even finished, his sword multiplied through Sword Splitting Forms and pierced Yu-jin’s four limbs.

“Kuaaaack!”

The wounds began to regenerate immediately, but in the next instant, his flesh was torn and bones were broken again. Already in agony, the even more powerful attack caused Yu-jin to feel his consciousness waver.

But Yu-jin gritted his teeth and held on. If he lost consciousness now, his existence would be erased from this world forever. Knowing this well, Yu-jin desperately clung to his awareness.

“And… you know it yourself… that you are inferior… don’t you? You are… weaker than the Heavenly Demon, and less talented… than the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven.”

At those words, all expression vanished from Kang Yu-hyeon’s face. Instead, an icy chill, mingled with killing intent, began to shimmer around him.

It was rage—a cold, black fury simmering in the depths of his heart. The killing intent he harbored became an intangible force, pressing down on Yu-jin.

Any ordinary martial artist would have died the moment they felt this killing intent.

‘Kuh! The State of Mind Killing…’

It was a state said to be attainable when one reached the pinnacle of Will-Forming Injury—a terrifying level where one could kill an opponent with will alone.

In a way, it could be considered a skill superior to the Mind Sword, but it was more accurate to call it a state of being rather than a skill.

A massive lump of killing intent was focused on Yu-jin, and his complexion grew even paler. Under normal circumstances, he could have blocked it easily, but not now.

“You… admit it yourself. That you are… inferior to the other… absolute masters. I suppose if you lose… to someone who’s only lived for twenty-five years… it shows how pathetic you are…”

*BOOOOM!*

With a thunderous roar, an even greater force slammed into Yu-jin, and he felt every bone in his body shatter. At the same time, the Gu in his brain began to rampage even more violently.

“Kuaaaaaaaargh!”

“You call me inferior?! Don’t make me laugh! I broke through to the Profound Realm hundreds of years ago and established the most outstanding family in the long history of the martial world! Do you think the likes of the Heavenly Demon, who has been cooped up beyond the borders his whole life, or the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, who lives trapped in his ideals, can even compare to me?!”

As he spoke, Kang Yu-hyeon once again plunged his sword into Yu-jin’s body. He was now feeling an emotion beyond mere anger.

“Even so… you are a loser… You lost… to the Heavenly Demon… and you lost… to me!”

Kang Yu-hyeon’s face turned crimson. It was a wonder he wasn’t immediately moving to kill Yu-jin.

Of course, he was barely restraining himself because if Yu-jin died, he wouldn’t be able to take his body.

“I have nothing more to say to you. Your body will now become mine, and your soul will vanish from this world forever!”

“Is that so…? You’re planning… to do it here…? The clan’s warriors… are sure to come, you know?”

At Yu-jin’s words, Kang Yu-hyeon smirked.

“It doesn’t matter. No one will be coming here anyway. Didn’t you know? The moment our fight began, a great formation was activated, blocking all sound from this place. So don’t worry, and just disappear.”

With those words, Kang Yu-hyeon placed his hand on Yu-jin’s head. Just as he was about to use the Soul-Stealing Grand Art, the secret technique of body transference, a blast of red aura shot toward him.

But Kang Yu-hyeon casually extended a hand and deflected the aura. Then, he looked at the one who had fired it.

“I knew you were here, but I didn’t expect you to step forward, Yong-hoon.”