Chapter 17 – Tomb of the Sword God (5)

They too moved along with the group, leaving only the warriors of the Heaven-Defying Brigade and Yu-jin in the gorge. No, he wasn’t actually alone. Ran and Eun Seol-rin had appeared at some point.

“You two rest for a bit. It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper chance to play.”

Yu-jin said, a savage smile on his face. At the sight, the warriors of the Heaven-Defying Brigade felt an unconscious fear and stepped back.

At first, they found it laughable that he was facing them alone, but that thought vanished in an instant. Yu-jin looked at them and opened his mouth.

“Thank you, truly. I was looking for an opportunity to break away, and you all helped me at the perfect time. I can’t help but express my gratitude.”

As he spoke, an immense aura erupted from Yu-jin’s entire body. And then, he drew the Ink Dragon Sword, which until now had only hung at his waist.

“This will be over in an instant.”

The moment his words ended, Yu-jin swung his sword, and a wave of black light swallowed the warriors of the Heaven-Defying Brigade whole.

The warriors of the Heaven-Defying Brigade let out desperate screams, but they were drowned out by the sound of Yu-jin’s sword strike.

*CRASH!*

The wave of black light exploded against the opposite side of the gorge, which Yu-jin hadn’t destroyed. In an instant, a part of the gorge crumbled down.

Witnessing the truly terrifying power of his martial art, both Eun Seol-rin and Ran were left speechless. The technique Yu-jin had displayed was already far beyond the level of any ordinary human.

But Yu-jin, completely unconcerned, looked at the two women and spoke.

“Well then. Shall we go, ladies?”

With those words, Yu-jin moved forward.

* * *

The leader of the Heaven-Defying Brigade, Lee Hak, was at a loss for words. His face trembled with a mixture of rage and disbelief.

“How could this happen…?”

Underestimating them as mere brats had been a grave mistake. To think that dozens of his warriors couldn’t handle a group of fewer than ten youngsters.

Lee Hak, who had never dreamed his warriors would be defeated so easily, was speechless.

Faced with a situation he couldn’t believe even seeing with his own eyes, Lee Hak felt he had to step in himself. Just then, the gorge suddenly began to collapse, and he was once again flustered.

“Did someone set off an explosive?”

Knowing that even the powerful members of the Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes couldn’t display such divine might, Lee Hak could only come to that conclusion.

The only ones who could demolish a gorge with a human body were the ten absolute masters, and there was no way they would be in a place like this.

“How unpleasant.”

Lee Hak was greatly incensed by the unidentified opponent who had killed his subordinates, leaving him with a sense of emptiness and needless worry.

“I will kill you.”

With that thought, Lee Hak gripped his sword tightly. He was a master powerful enough to kill Yu Hong-rip within twenty moves.

But he could advance no further. Yu-jin, Ran, and Eun Seol-rin were standing there, having appeared without him noticing.

“You must be the leader of those who attacked us, right? Ah, no need to lie. I can tell you’re the leader just from your presence.”

“It’s impressive that you found us, but this is as far as you go. Kill him.”

Lee Hak concealed his surprise and ordered the surrounding warriors. Ten of them charged at Yu-jin.

However, ten spears of darkness, seemingly capable of swallowing the sun itself, shot out like thorns, piercing the hearts of the charging warriors in the blink of an eye.

“You bastard….”

Seeing ten of his men die violently without even a chance to breathe, Lee Hak ground his teeth and glared at Yu-jin with hateful eyes.

“I don’t mind if you send more.”

“All of you, charge and kill him!”

Hearing Yu-jin’s words, Lee Hak scowled and gave the order. All the remaining warriors rushed toward Yu-jin. But before they could reach him, they had to face two fearsome women.

“You will not get any closer to our master.”

“……”

Eun Seol-rin and Ran faced the warriors and swung their swords. A volley of red sword energy formed from Eun Seol-rin’s blade and poured down on the Heaven-Defying Brigade’s warriors.

Not to be outdone, Ran unleashed a volley of green sword energy. The two attacks harmonized and struck the warriors of the Heaven-Defying Brigade.

“Kuaaaargh!”

The warriors of the Heaven-Defying Brigade screamed desperately as they fell. Ran and Eun Seol-rin charged at the few who barely survived, and every last one of them lost their lives to the two women’s swords.

Yu-jin smiled at Lee Hak, who stood there with a dumbfounded expression.

“You’re all alone now.”

“You… who are you…?”

Lee Hak, who had never heard of someone like this among the Seven Dragons, glared at Yu-jin and asked.

“The name’s Kang Yu-jin. For now, let’s say I’m the First Young Master of the True Dragon Sword Clan.”

“You think I, Lee Hak, will fall to a mere Earth Dragon!”

Hearing Yu-jin’s identity, Lee Hak erupted in fury and charged, swinging his sword imbued with energy. But Yu-jin used the Black Heaven Hand to effortlessly catch Lee Hak’s blade.

“To challenge me with just this much skill… your courage is commendable.”

Lee Hak was seized by a different kind of shock. The tyrannical aura flowing from Yu-jin’s body reminded him of a certain person.

‘What is this feeling! It’s as if I’m looking at the Cult Leader!’

To get such an impression from a young man who looked to be in his twenties was impossible.

Completely uninterested in whatever Lee Hak was thinking, Yu-jin casually broke his sword and grabbed him by the neck.

“If you want to die peacefully, why don’t you hand over some useful information? For example, the location of the person who’s playing games with the non-existent secret manual of the Sword God?”

At Yu-jin’s words, Lee Hak trembled involuntarily. Very few people, even among those who knew of the plan, were aware that the Sword God’s secret manual didn’t exist.

How could the young man before him know such top-secret information? But Lee Hak gritted his teeth and spoke.

“Do you think I would tell you something like that…?”

“I knew you’d say that. Actually, I don’t even need to know. Farewell, dog of the Western Heaven Demonic Cult.”

“H-How did you know that!”

Those were Lee Hak’s last words.

Immediately, a blackish-green flame—the Green Phosphorus Poison Flame—completely annihilated him, not even leaving a single bone fragment behind.

After dealing with Lee Hak, Yu-jin turned around with a refreshed expression.

“Want to try it outdoors?”

When Yu-jin looked at the two women with a mischievous smile, they quickly shook their heads.

“Just kidding, haha.”

Yu-jin laughed and then made his way to where the Third Elder, Tak Un-jin, was.

* * *

“Damn it. To be isolated at a time like this.”

The youngest of the Four Ghosts of Gangbuk, Jo Gyu-il, who had come to Mount Hua, stroked his saber inside a cave he found at the mountain’s entrance, staring blankly at the pouring rain.

“This damn rain is just relentless.”

The sky was filled with dark clouds, and the small stream before him had turned into a muddy torrent, like a giant dragon writhing. It seemed like it had all rained out a few days ago, so it was indeed annoying that it was raining even more.

“Youngest, no need to be so impatient. The heavens have helped us, the Four Ghosts of Gangbuk, and given us this treasure. No one else under the sky knows about it, so what’s there to worry about? Heheh, stop moping over there and come play with us.”

The leader of the Four Ghosts, Heuk-gu, was a master of the Unorthodox Faction, known for his long spear in the Hebei region. In his hand now was a treasure map. It was the map they had obtained after ambushing and killing its last owner.

“Ugh!”

A beautiful woman was taking Heuk-gu’s grotesquely erect member into her mouth. And there was another who coveted the woman’s ‘flower’—the third brother, Wang Ung, with his bear-like physique.

He gripped the woman’s slender waist, pushed his member between her petals, and vigorously thrust his hips.

Unfortunately, Wang Ung couldn’t thrust for long before the overwhelming urge to ejaculate caused him to spill his white fluid inside the woman’s body.

“Hah! Hah!”

The woman wore a tired expression for a moment, but only for a moment. Soon, annoyance crept onto her face. She scowled fiercely and kicked away Wang Ung, who was still inside her.

“Pathetic bastard. All grown up in body, but lacking where it counts!”

“S-Sorry, Sis…ter.”

The woman was the second ghost, Lee Hee, known as the most vicious of the Four Ghosts of Gangbuk. She was well over fifty years old. However, through youth-retaining arts and by siphoning the vital energy of other martial artists, she boasted the appearance of a woman in her mid-twenties.

The number of men deceived by her appearance was already approaching the triple digits. Because of this, she had the largest amount of internal energy among the four, and her martial arts were also formidable.

When she glared at him, the youngest, Jo Gyu-il, grew slightly flustered. Getting involved with Lee Hee could mean losing his internal energy, so he had no desire to embrace her.

Did the heavens take pity on him? His eyes caught sight of someone.

“Big Brother, Sister! Come quick! Someone’s coming! Looks like a rich kid!”

At Jo Gyu-il’s words, the other three moved hastily. The sons of wealthy families were their favorite prey.

Lee Hee’s eyes, in particular, gleamed. Indulging in men like that could greatly enhance her internal energy.

* * *

Having instructed Eun Seol-rin and Ran to gather information, Yu-jin was moving slowly. Soon, he could sense someone approaching rapidly.

‘Right on cue.’

The reason Yu-jin had come here was to catch the Four Ghosts of Gangbuk, who possessed the treasure map.

The Four Ghosts of Gangbuk were skilled in martial arts and also cunning, making them tricky opponents, but they were no big problem for Yu-jin.

‘I’ve been pent up lately with no release. This is a relief.’

Yu-jin continued to move, pretending not to notice their approach.

Meanwhile, the Four Ghosts of Gangbuk, unaware of this, cautiously observed Yu-jin.

Heuk-gu got an ominous feeling from Yu-jin.

[Wait.]

[Why?]

[Mount Hua is already a den of demons. Even decently skilled martial artists die here easily. For him to wander around alone like that means he’s extremely confident in his skills.]

Heuk-gu was perceptive, as befitting a leader. The others thought his words made sense and nodded.

[I think you’re right, brother. So, what should we do?]

[He’s just a brat from the Righteous Faction. It’s obvious what he’s thinking. Burning with some half-baked sense of justice.]

Smiles appeared on their faces as Heuk-gu explained his plan.

Just before putting the plan into action, Heuk-gu, who had to wield his weapon, handed the treasure map he was holding to Lee Hee.

It was then.

*SWOOSH!*

A silver stream of sword energy flew from Yu-jin’s swung blade, heading straight for the Four Ghosts of Gangbuk, who were hiding among the trees.

Startled, the four of them quickly retreated from their positions, and Yu-jin’s sword energy felled several trees.

The four were surprised by Yu-jin’s sudden attack, but they soon smiled. He was strong for a kid his age, but not so strong that they couldn’t defeat him.

“Let’s go!”

Heuk-gu charged at Yu-jin, spinning his spear, and thrust it forward. From the opposite side, Wang Ung brought down his giant axe, and Jo Gyu-il also swung his saber.