Chapter 186 – The Final War (3)

*CRACK! CRASH!*

Every time Seol Mu-rin and Na Ye-jin moved and swung their swords, the trees in the forest could not withstand the force and were destroyed.

The sounds of their clashes echoed throughout the forest. As sword met sword, massive shockwaves continuously erupted.

Na Ye-jin, having exhausted much of her strength against the living corpses, intensified her assault, trying to finish Seol Mu-rin quickly.

“Hoh? A truly fast and sharp sword. But it won’t work on me.”

With that cry, Seol Mu-rin deflected all of Na Ye-jin’s attacks and brought his sword down hard. Like a thunderbolt, his blade was condensed with an immense demonic energy capable of destroying everything.

But there was no rule that said one must meet force with force. Na Ye-jin skillfully maneuvered her sword, deflecting Seol Mu-rin’s blade to the side. Then, she unleashed a bare-handed technique taught to her by the Sword Empress.

*SWOOSH!*

Na Ye-jin’s hand sliced through the air with terrifying speed, carrying enough power to shatter Seol Mu-rin’s chest in an instant. But just as her hand was about to reach his chest, a black barrier formed in front of him.

*BOOM!*

“Aaargh!”

A tremendous roar echoed, and a groan of pain escaped Na Ye-jin’s lips. The protective aura, formed of black demonic energy, had delivered a massive shock to her.

Because of it, she momentarily lost her balance and staggered. Seol Mu-rin did not miss the opening. His sword shot toward the faltering Na Ye-jin.

However, Na Ye-jin used an evasive maneuver to create distance from Seol Mu-rin. It was a technique that practitioners of the righteous path, who valued honor, would never use. But having lived with Yu-jin and shed her pride, she could use it without hesitation.

*‘He’s strong…’*

For someone who had reached the state of demonic transcendence, he was somewhat clumsy. That was why she was able to put up such a good fight against an opponent of a higher realm.

But even someone who had only physically reached that state was incredibly strong. Despite her fierce assault, his expression had not changed one bit.

*’I can’t win like this. I have to subdue or kill him with the strongest power I can muster.’*

Having made up her mind, her sword began to glow brightly. It was the Moonlight, a power that could destroy all the wicked energies of the world, including the demonic energy of demons.

The Moonlight condensed on her blade. At its brilliant radiance, Seol Mu-rin instinctively felt a sense of crisis. He realized that light was his natural enemy.

“I suppose I have no choice but to get serious.”

Pitch-black demonic energy rose from Seol Mu-rin’s entire body. His sword, too, was enveloped in the dark energy. Having revealed their full power, the two charged at each other.

*BOOM! CRASH!*

With a single deafening clash, a tremendous wave of energy erupted, shaking the entire forest as if it would collapse at any moment. At the same time, a thick cloud of dust rose, obscuring their figures.

A moment later, as the dust slowly settled, the scene came into view. One person was standing, and the other was on their knees.

“Hah… hah… Ugh!”

Kneeling and gasping for breath, Na Ye-jin coughed up blood. Her moonlight had been completely extinguished by the darkness. If she hadn’t twisted her body at the last moment, sensing mortal danger, Seol Mu-rin’s sword would have split her in two.

It was luck, if you could call it that. But she no longer had any strength left to fight.

“Impressive. To think you could fight so well against me, one who has reached the state of demonic transcendence.”

Seol Mu-rin spoke, looking down at Na Ye-jin. He was the victor of the final clash. He smiled faintly and caressed her face.

“In the Western Heaven Demonic Cult, there’s a custom where the victor can do as they please with the vanquished. I don’t care what you think, but you will be my woman. Your strength and beauty are more than worthy of being my partner.”

*Spit!*

Before he could finish his words, Na Ye-jin spat blood-tinged saliva at him.

Her only partner in this world was Yu-jin. A coward who, blinded by power, had artificially reached the state of demonic transcendence was of no concern to her.

But Seol Mu-rin did not get angry at her reaction. He was sure that if he just forced her, she would become like all the other women he had taken before.

“Well then.”

Seol Mu-rin reached out to lift Na Ye-jin into his arms. But at that moment, a brilliant radiance struck his body.

*BANG!*

With a huge explosion, Seol Mu-rin’s body was sent flying. He only stopped after crashing through several trees.

“Who is it!”

But it seemed that wasn’t enough to kill him, as Seol Mu-rin immediately got back on his feet. However, perhaps due to the impact, his expression was now like that of a demon, unlike before.

His gaze was now fixed on a woman standing in front of Na Ye-jin. A woman as beautiful as Na Ye-jin, but with a far more intense presence. She was none other than the Sword Empress, Hwa Un-wol.

“For a whelp like you to insult my disciple, you need to be taught a lesson, don’t you think?”

The greatest female swordmaster in the Central Plains spoke with a beautiful smile. But Seol Mu-rin could feel an immense killing intent piercing through his body. And he instinctively realized this fight would not be as easy as the last.

Seol Mu-rin released all of his power. His opponent was the Sword Empress. For decades, she had reigned as the strongest among women, and her power was great enough to be counted among the Ten Absolutes.

Facing such a person, Seol Mu-rin had no choice but to give it his all.

As a dark and sinister energy billowed up around Seol Mu-rin, the surrounding plants could not withstand it and began to wither.

“This is why I hate those who wield demonic energy.”

Displeased by the demonic energy that tried to envelop even her, Hwa Un-wol frowned. She lightly released her aura, pushing back Seol Mu-rin’s demonic energy.

“Sword Empress! If you don’t fight with all your might, even you will die!”

Seol Mu-rin shouted and thrust his sword forward forcefully. A swift attack, like an agile snake, a black strike passed straight through the Sword Empress’s heart.

But Seol Mu-rin did not rejoice. Hwa Un-wol’s figure had already vanished.

The vanished woman now stood behind Seol Mu-rin, and as soon as he realized it, he twisted his body and swung his sword.

*SLASH!*

The black sword energy shot toward Hwa Un-wol’s brow. But just as it was about to pierce a hole between her eyes, she tilted her head to the side, dodging it. Instead, a large tree behind her was shattered.

It was truly immense power. Yet, Hwa Un-wol smiled as if it were nothing. Her smile seemed to say, ‘You can’t beat me with an attack like this.’

“I’ll cut you in two!”

Seol Mu-rin roared and brought his sword down in a straight line. With incredible speed, the black sword energy once again flew toward Hwa Un-wol.

*’Does he lack the ability to learn?’*

Hwa Un-wol thought as she moved her body, and Seol Mu-rin’s sword energy brilliantly cut through empty air before demolishing the trees.

But as soon as he swung his sword, Seol Mu-rin twisted his body to the left and thrust his blade again. From the seemingly empty space, Hwa Un-wol’s figure was revealed.

Her sword, glowing with moonlight, and Seol Mu-rin’s sword, wreathed in darkness, clashed at a single point.

“You should at least be able to do that much.”

Having already predicted that Seol Mu-rin would find her, she responded swiftly. Because she had anticipated it, her reaction was fast and precise. She quickly pulled her sword back and struck out with her left palm.

A palm strike, enveloped in pure white light, shot through the air toward Seol Mu-rin.

“Hah!”

Seol Mu-rin, who hadn’t expected her to block his attack so easily and immediately counter, was startled. He abandoned his pursuit and unleashed his own sword energy toward the incoming palm strike.

*BANG!*

Energy clashed with energy, and sparks flew in an instant. A moment later, a deafening roar echoed as if two lightning bolts had collided, and the sword energy neutralized the palm strike.

A massive shockwave spread out, and the distance between the two narrowed. But Hwa Un-wol, having already seized the momentum, did not miss the opportunity. She closed the gap between herself and Seol Mu-rin at her top speed.

*SLASH!*

The sword of Moonlight, which destroyed all the wicked energies of this world, surged forward to sever Seol Mu-rin’s neck, and he felt the terror of death.

But he had not yet revealed everything he had. As if to prove it, a black mist rose from his sword and his entire body, enveloping him.

*CRUNCH!*

Hwa Un-wol’s sword cut through the thick mist and struck Seol Mu-rin’s body, but the black mist interfered, preventing a fatal wound.

The black mist surrounding Seol Mu-rin was a massive chunk of energy, acting like a protective aura, shielding him from Hwa Un-wol’s sword.

But unlike a normal protective aura, it spread out in all directions, trying to swallow Hwa Un-wol. Instantly judging it to be dangerous, Hwa Un-wol withdrew her hand and took a step back.

*SWOOSH!*

However, the black mist moved with even greater speed and engulfed Hwa Un-wol’s left arm.

“Ugh!”

Feeling as if a wild beast were tearing at her, Hwa Un-wol hastily pulled her arm back.

Even though she had protected her arm with her bare-handed technique before the black mist could swallow it, her left arm was now stained with blood. Had she been a moment later, even Hwa Un-wol would have lost her arm.

“Master!”

Na Ye-jin cried out in horror, but Hwa Un-wol smiled and waved her hand, signaling that she was fine.

“You use quite an interesting technique. To make me feel this way… for that alone, I’d say you’ve done quite well.”

Although she hadn’t lost her arm, her combat strength must have dropped significantly from that last exchange. Yet, seeing Hwa Un-wol still so composed, Seol Mu-rin scowled deeply.

For a sword wielder, losing the use of one arm was a tremendous loss. Even if one fought with a single hand, the other arm was crucial for maintaining balance, so its importance could not be ignored.

And now, the Sword Empress had become someone who could not easily maintain her balance, having lost the use of her left arm.

*’And yet she’s still so relaxed?’*

Feeling as if she were looking down on him, Seol Mu-rin’s mood soured, and he expanded the range of the black mist even further.

The black mist destroyed everything on the ground as it poured toward Hwa Un-wol like a tidal wave. But Hwa Un-wol, watching it approach, did not flee.

“It’s a fine attack, but do you know that it’s not enough? You haven’t truly reached the state of demonic transcendence.”

*FLASH!*

A brilliant light erupted from Hwa Un-wol’s entire body. The radiance immediately began to annihilate the black mist.

“What!”

Startled that his prized black mist was being so easily dissipated, Seol Mu-rin poured even more demonic energy into it. He moved the black mist as if it were a vortex. Soon, it became a black tornado.

*RUMBLE! CRASH!*

A powerful force that destroyed everything in its path. Like a beast trying to devour the world, the savage tornado swept through the area.

Yet, even while watching this immense power, Hwa Un-wol remained composed.

“I will show you what the ultimate sword is.”