Chapter 193 – The Last Wraith (2)

Watching Yu-jin fight the Heavenly Demon, Kang Yong-hoon was overcome with despair. Despite enhancing his power through the unnatural method of absorbing his father’s soul, Yu-jin was a being beyond comprehension.

Because of that, his soul had weakened considerably, and Kang Yu-hyeon did not miss the opportunity.

Kang Yu-hyeon, who still possessed his own will even after merging his soul with Kang Yong-hoon’s, was finally able to take complete control of Kang Yong-hoon’s body.

“And with this body, I intend to become the patriarch once more. Yu-jin is already a dead man, isn’t he? From the looks of his fight with the Heavenly Demon, it’s as if they’ve taken each other down. I plan to ask him to return the position of patriarch to me before he dies.”

“I will never let that happen.”

The Sword Empress said, pointing her sword at Kang Yong-hoon. The True Dragon Sword Clan itself meant nothing to her. But it was the clan Yu-jin cherished. The Sword Empress had no intention of handing such a clan over to a wraith.

But, as one might expect, Kang Yu-hyeon had no intention of accepting the Sword Empress’s opinion.

Kang Yu-hyeon was relaxed, even with the Sword Empress of the world pointing her sword at him. A confidence, as if her sword could not harm him, was etched on his face and radiated from his entire being.

“It’s a shame, Sword Empress. I put in a great deal of effort to make you mine, but you refused my advances time and again. And to think the man you chose was my son, Yu-jin… truly.”

“Compared to Yu-jin, you are nothing.”

Upon hearing those words, the smile vanished from Kang Yu-hyeon’s face for the first time.

Kang Yu-hyeon had suffered a great defeat at Yu-jin’s hands and even experienced death. He also felt a sense of inferiority towards Yu-jin, who had reached a realm he could never attain no matter how hard he tried.

So when the Sword Empress spoke in such a manner, he couldn’t help but be offended.

“I have no choice then. If you intend to stop me, I’ll have to break you. Of course, I don’t plan to kill you, so rest assured. After I become the patriarch, I will personally take you for myself.”

“You think you can do that?!”

The Sword Empress’s blade radiated a white light. She had unleashed her Mind Sword. But Kang Yu-hyeon also unleashed his Mind Sword, swinging it toward the Sword Empress.

Kwwaaaaang!

A massive explosion erupted.

***

Kang Yu-hyeon looked down at the unconscious Sword Empress, Hwa Un-wol. The Sword Empress had done her best, but she was no match for Kang Yu-hyeon, who had recovered his original martial prowess, and was ultimately defeated.

Yu-hyeon stared at the Sword Empress for a moment before slipping his hand into her tunic and squeezing her voluptuous breast. A fierce desire he had never felt before surged within his chest.

“Come to think of it, Yu-jin was quite good at gathering women. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take all of them after I become the patriarch.”

Thinking it would be the ultimate humiliation for the dying Yu-jin, Kang Yu-hyeon withdrew his hand. All of that could wait until after he killed Yu-jin.

“Come out, Yu-jin.”

Kang Yu-hyeon called for Yu-jin, knowing full well the terrible state his body was in.

The one who had dealt him death. Because of him, Kang Yu-hyeon had to endure the unfamiliar experience of dying. It was an experience he never wanted to repeat.

As a result, Kang Yu-hyeon harbored infinite hatred and rage towards Yu-jin. Even though Yu-jin was already dying, he wanted to tear his body to shreds and destroy it. It was then.

Wooooong!

Kang Yu-hyeon entered the formation Yu-jin had set up. It was a formidable formation designed to kill any who entered recklessly, but Kang Yu-hyeon walked forward as if it were nothing.

Even if something attacked him, he could simply unleash his Mind Sword and easily subdue it. Fending off the formation’s attacks, Kang Yu-hyeon finally reached its core.

There stood a single pavilion with a chair in the center. In that chair sat Yu-jin, a smile on his pale face. And beside him stood five women.

“It’s been a while, Father. I can’t say I’m pleased to see you, but thank you for at least sparing the life of my precious woman. Ran.”

At Yu-jin’s call, Ran bowed her head slightly and vanished. She was going to retrieve the fallen Hwa Un-wol. Her martial prowess was no match for Kang Yu-hyeon anyway, so her presence would not have helped.

For whatever reason, Kang Yu-hyeon did nothing as Ran moved. He only glared at Yu-jin.

His eyes, filled with hostility, rage, and killing intent, stared fiercely at Yu-jin, as if ready to tear him apart.

“Kang Yu-jin…!”

A beast-like growl erupted from Kang Yu-hyeon’s lips. Killing intent swirled on his face. The moment he saw Yu-jin’s face, his entire body ached as if the pain from his past wounds had returned.

“You’ve managed to come back alive, Father. I regret not dealing with you when I knew you were inside Yong-hoon’s body, even though I knew you might one day re-emerge.”

It was one of the few human aspects Yu-jin possessed. Though he had threatened to kill Kang Yong-hoon many times, he never actually intended to.

He had always been reluctant to kill his own blood. That was why, despite being able to purge all his other siblings, he chose to make them submit instead.

There was a clan rule against killing kin, but Yu-jin could have easily ignored it. Nevertheless, he did not kill Yong-hoon.

“How ridiculous. A monster like you pretending to be human.”

“At least I’m better than a persistent wraith like you. Why did you come back? After dying and coming back to life, you should have known your place and fled. Don’t tell me you came here because you knew I was on the verge of death?”

“Hmph.”

Yu-jin was right. If Yu-jin had been in his original condition, he would never have dared to approach him. That was how immense Yu-jin’s power was.

It was because he knew Yu-jin’s condition, knew that he was facing death, that Kang Yu-hyeon had appeared here.

Kang Yu-hyeon smoothed his scowl and spoke.

“I wanted to return the pain you inflicted on me. I wanted to make your final moments as agonizing as possible.”

He was thrilled that the enemy before him, the one he was dying to kill, had been weakened. Even though Yu-jin was weakened, the very fact that he could now kill him with his own hands made him ecstatic. Laughter kept bubbling up.

“Hahahaha! So your pride has fallen that low. That’s why you lost to the Heavenly Demon and could never reach his realm. Though the Heavenly Demon died by my hand, his strength and unyielding will are worthy of a martial artist’s admiration. He is completely different from a cowardly dog like you.”

“You bastard! I won’t let you die an easy death! I’ll tear your very soul to shreds!”

Kang Yu-hyeon’s face contorted horribly, resembling that of a demon. A terrifying killing intent rose from his demonic form.

Kang Yu-hyeon’s unfiltered hostility and murderous intent washed over Yu-jin. It was a terrifying killing intent that would have driven an ordinary person mad, but Yu-jin smiled.

To protect Yu-jin, Han So-un and Bukri Eun stepped forward. Unfortunately, Na Ye-jin and Eun Seol-rin had not yet reached the Profound Realm and could not stop Kang Yu-hyeon.

“Aren’t you ashamed? A man hiding behind women’s skirts to save his own life?”

“It’s less shameful than the ugly life of a certain man who died once yet clings to life, unable to let go of his attachments.”

Even with a face that looked half-dead, Yu-jin hadn’t lost his spirit. Enraged by his words, Kang Yu-hyeon tore his gaze from Yu-jin and glared at the two women.

He had realized that the two women had reached the Profound Realm (one was at the Transcendent Demon Realm).

It was both curious and unpleasant how he managed to gather such powerful individuals, but Kang Yu-hyeon calmed himself with the thought that once he killed Yu-jin, those women would also be his.

And soon, the two women and Kang Yu-hyeon clashed.

Kwang!

Bukri Eun rolled violently across the ground. Her neat appearance was gone, replaced by a disheveled mess.

Her clothes were torn in several places, revealing pale skin, and her neatly tied hair had come undone, flying wildly. All of this was the result of her clash with Kang Yu-hyeon.

“Hah!”

As Kang Yu-hyeon was about to swing his sword at the fallen Bukri Eun, Han So-un quickly lashed out with a whip made of black demonic energy.

It was as if tens of thousands of snakes were slithering out at once.

But when Kang Yu-hyeon swung his Mind Sword, all the whips were severed. Then, with his free left hand, Kang Yu-hyeon unleashed a palm strike.

Kwaaang!

“Keuk!”

Despite Han So-un deploying a sturdy protective aura, the palm strike shattered it and struck her in the abdomen.

A bruise formed where she was hit, but the wound quickly healed. Seeing this, Kang Yu-hyeon watched Han So-un with an amused expression.

“A woman who uses demonic energy and can even regenerate like the Heavenly Demon… Interesting. For a woman like you to be unknown in the martial world, Yu-jin truly has a keen eye for women.”

Han So-un, the Demonic Empress who had reigned as the grandmaster of the demonic path before the Heavenly Demon, gritted her teeth as she looked at Kang Yu-hyeon.

She and Bukri Eun were absolute masters who had reached the Transcendent Demon and Profound Realms. Yet Kang Yu-hyeon was single-handedly overwhelming both of them. It felt as if they were facing the Yu-jin of the past.

‘But I can’t lose.’

If they lost, the dying Yu-jin would inevitably lose his life to that wraith. Though he was on the brink of death, it was their heartfelt wish to let him live out his remaining days in peace.

“Hah!”

While Kang Yu-hyeon’s gaze was fixed on Han So-un, Bukri Eun unleashed a powerful blast from her Ice-White Divine Palm. It was a terrifying force said to freeze even the soul upon contact.

However, as if mocking her, Kang Yu-hyeon deflected Bukri Eun’s palm strike with just a few swings of his sword.

“The Mind Sword is, quite literally, an art that can cut through anything. Unless a technique possesses absolute power, nothing can stop the Mind Sword.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Kang Yu-hyeon swung his sword, and with a sense that space itself was tearing, a tremendous shockwave washed over Bukri Eun and Han So-un.

Bukri Eun formed a massive ice wall to block the shockwave, but it could not withstand the power of the Mind Sword and was destroyed.

“Ugh!”

A groan escaped Bukri Eun’s lips. Fortunately, she was unharmed. Before she could be injured, Han So-un had blocked the surging shockwave with her own body.

But in return, Han So-un’s left arm was shattered. Although it regenerated quickly, the pain must have been immense, as her face had turned deathly pale.

“You know from watching Yu-jin, don’t you? Not all absolute masters are the same. Yu-jin’s realm is truly magnificent. It’s a great pity that I must be the one to end it.”

As Kang Yu-hyeon spoke as if concerned for Yu-jin, a faint smile played on his lips. It was a fake smile that made one feel unpleasant just by looking at it.

At Kang Yu-hyeon’s words, the two women mustered their energy and struggled to their feet. Though they knew they were outmatched, they couldn’t just sit and await death. They had to protect Yu-jin.

“That’s enough.”

At the sudden voice, the two women and Kang Yu-hyeon turned towards its source. There stood Yu-jin, his face pale. A strange light flickered in Kang Yu-hyeon’s eyes at the sight.

“Oh? Are you trying to court death for the sake of these women? There was no need. I was planning on letting them live.”