Chapter 308 : Break Evil and Reveal Righteousness
Kugugugung-!
Sinister and ominous energy filled the entire manor.
Even the Moon Command Sect martial artists, including Han Myeong-wol, recoiled in shock as they stared at it.
Seomun Ak and Moyong Hyeon exchanged glances.
Neither spoke aloud, yet they seemed to be thinking the same thing.
‘We’re screwed.’
‘Should we run?’
Meanwhile, Seo Yu-gyeom realized that the sinister energy she emitted was the very seed of corruption he had sensed during his spars with the Moon Command Sect martial artists.
Despite feeling the overwhelming gap in power between them, Seo Yu-gyeom hurled himself toward her without hesitation.
The Heavenly Slaughter Star knew no fear.
The Heavenly Slaughter Short Saber sliced low through the air, releasing stream after stream of chilling Saber Aura.
Swaaaaaaak-!
She quietly observed the Saber Aura before drawing her hand upward.
Four streaks of purple energy carved through the air along the path of her fingernails.
Clang-!
Her claw art easily neutralized the Saber Aura.
Even amidst the explosion of energies directly before her, she did not move even a single step.
“I asked where Dalgi is.”
Her beautiful voice sharply contrasted with her cold expression, creating an eerie sensation.
Seo Yu-gyeom landed beside Jin Seong-un and spoke.
“Feels like we’ve got a lot to talk about.”
“……Indeed.”
There were many things Seo Yu-gyeom wanted to ask Jin Seong-un.
Starting with the Heavenly Martial Star, all the way to this person called Dalgi.
“Let’s kill this thing first, then talk afterward.”
Seo Yu-gyeom and Jin Seong-un charged simultaneously.
The two swung their weapons at her neck and thigh at the same time.
Their blades, imbued with clearly defined aura, slashed faster than the eye could follow.
Clang-!
The Heavenly Slaughter Short Saber was blocked by her hand.
The tip of Jin Seong-un’s sword narrowly sliced away several strands of her hair.
Yet even the weapons of two Transcendent Peak masters ultimately failed to cut her down.
She looked down on them as though they were insignificant.
“Move.”
A fist as large as a cauldron lid burst between the two men.
Fist Aura collided head-on against her palm.
Boooooom-!
Seomun Ak had already joined the fight, leaving the rear to Moyong Hyeon, and now all three endlessly pressured her.
“……Crazy bastards.”
Moyong Hyeon was barely holding on while facing Han Myeong-wol and the Moon Command Sect martial artists alone.
Even so, the Northern Star Sword of the Moyong Family, alongside the Wudang Sword, possessed one of the finest balances between offense and defense.
The swords and spears of the Moon Command Sect martial artists continuously thrust toward his vital points, yet Moyong Hyeon maintained his focus, evading and deflecting while enduring.
Thanks to that, the other three—including Jin Seong-un—could focus entirely on fighting the Sect Leader.
Three Transcendent Peak masters unleashed sword, saber, and fist techniques continuously upon a single woman.
Gradually, she was being pushed backward.
Yet ironically, it was the three men who grew increasingly anxious.
Seomun Ak and Seo Yu-gyeom were already fighting with their full strength, yet not once had they managed to land a decisive blow.
‘So it’s impossible.’
Seo Yu-gyeom clicked his tongue inwardly.
Even if she were a Profound Realm master, he had believed the three of them together could surely force a solution.
Yet she still remained relaxed.
She even wore a smile as though an adult were merely playing with children.
The Sect Leader glanced toward Jin Seong-un and spoke softly.
“Even after thousands of years, those who wield that energy remain weak.”
It was unmistakably a taunt aimed at Dalgi and her disciples.
After all, two thousand years ago, she had stolen Dalgi’s body and thoroughly humiliated her.
It was a deliberate attempt to shake Jin Seong-un emotionally.
Yet Jin Seong-un calmly replied instead.
“You’re obsessed with this energy. Even after all this time, you still suffer from inferiority.”
At those quiet words, her smile vanished for the first time.
Inferiority.
It was the perfect word to describe her emotions.
Stealing Dalgi’s body thousands of years ago.
Spending countless years trying to imitate the Lunar Essence Cultivation Art.
All of it had originated from that low and ugly emotion.
The woman who had merely defended against their attacks suddenly stomped heavily upon the ground.
Kugugugung-!
The surrounding earth collapsed inward.
Seomun Ak instantly lost his balance and staggered.
The Sect Leader’s beast-like claws, infused with aura, shot toward his eyes.
Seomun Ak widened his eyes.
The attack came at such a perfect instant that there was no way to evade it.
If struck by something like that, even if he survived, he would at the very least lose his sight.
‘Damn it!’
Seomun Ak tightly shut his eyes.
Even a Transcendent Peak master could not transcend the fear of blindness.
Booooom-!
A thunderous explosion suddenly rang out, causing Seomun Ak to open his eyes.
Dark crimson energy filled his vision.
Black and red energy resembling the blood of the dead violently erupted from Jin Seong-un, who had seized the Sect Leader’s wrist.
Seeing Blood Demon Aura from such close range, Seomun Ak involuntarily trembled.
She looked down at her own wrist.
The two energies collided, producing smoke and a foul burning smell.
“You’ve been using strange energy alongside it since earlier. What exactly are you? You don’t seem to be from the Heavenly Demon Cult…….”
Even while facing Blood Demon Aura, she remained calm.
Instead of answering, Jin Seong-un unleashed a Blood Demon Palm toward her solar plexus.
Booooom-!
With an earth-shaking explosion, she was blasted backward.
For an instant, Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak glimpsed hope.
The energy Jin Seong-un released was horrifyingly ominous.
But when such a thing stood on their side rather than the enemy’s, the story changed considerably.
Jin Seong-un no longer concealed the Blood Demon Art.
After all, those present were trusted companions.
Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak moved to either side and joined him as though supporting Jin Seong-un.
Even her expression grew somewhat serious.
Because her movements had become larger, her silk robes and long flowing hair fluttered wildly.
Brilliant purple energy erupted fiercely amidst the three men.
At that moment—
Jin Seong-un suddenly felt Seo Yu-gyeom’s presence vanish.
A single figure charged past him with speed and stealth akin to a beam of light.
Slash-!
The Heavenly Slaughter Short Saber shallowly sliced beneath her chin.
Several drops of blood scattered into the air.
Jin Seong-un was momentarily puzzled.
Seo Yu-gyeom’s displayed martial prowess far exceeded his usual level.
While relentlessly assaulting her, Seo Yu-gyeom suddenly unleashed Saber Aura without any regard for Seomun Ak, who was joining from the side.
Startled, Jin Seong-un quickly tugged Seomun Ak’s robe.
The Saber Aura narrowly grazed past his side.
Jin Seong-un looked toward the Sect Leader.
Had she once again used Soul Captivation Arts to control Seo Yu-gyeom?
Yet she too observed Seo Yu-gyeom with puzzled eyes.
Jin Seong-un realized that Seo Yu-gyeom had once again lost control to his killing intent.
The symptoms, quiet for some time, had resurfaced at the worst possible moment.
‘Because of Blood Demon Aura?’
Jin Seong-un withdrew the Blood Demon Aura.
Immediately, Seo Yu-gyeom’s presence returned.
When consumed by the Heavenly Slaughter Star, even one’s killing intent and very existence tended to disappear.
That meant Seo Yu-gyeom had regained control.
The battle briefly halted.
She steadied her breathing while observing the three men, and Seo Yu-gyeom looked around in confusion before realizing what he had done.
He turned toward Seomun Ak.
“Ah, my mistake.”
“That wasn’t a mistake, you lunatic. I almost died.”
Seo Yu-gyeom scratched his head.
But hadn’t he survived?
Meanwhile, Jin Seong-un inwardly groaned.
‘This situation is bad.’
Only by unleashing Blood Demon Art to its limits and attacking together could they barely contend with her.
But it seemed Blood Demon Aura stimulated Seo Yu-gyeom’s Heavenly Slaughter Star.
Thinking back, the Sword Immortal had once said this:
* The Blood Demon possessed the densest Heavenly Slaughter Star in all history.
In a sense, it was only natural that the Blood Demon’s energy would stimulate Seo Yu-gyeom’s Heavenly Slaughter Star.
Yet taking the two young heroes elsewhere and fighting the Nine-Tails Fox alone seemed equally hopeless.
“You look troubled.”
Her scarlet lips curled upward.
With experience matured over thousands of years, she seemed to have effortlessly grasped the current situation.
She slowly walked toward the three men.
“You and I have much to discuss, so I’ll spare you. But the other three will have to die.”
By now, Moyong Hyeon had been endlessly pushed back by the Moon Command Sect martial artists and had retreated all the way to the others.
Thus, the four men found themselves surrounded by the Sect Leader, Han Myeong-wol, and dozens of women.
The sinister energy they collectively emitted made the air heavy and sticky.
* Hold your breath as long as possible.
Seo Yu-gyeom sent Voice Transmission to Moyong Hyeon and Seomun Ak.
Merely breathing in this sinister energy weakened both mind and body.
However, they could not hold their breath forever.
The encirclement was steadily tightening.
In the end, Jin Seong-un made his decision.
* I’ll lure her away.
If he did that, the remaining three would be capable of handling the Moon Command Sect martial artists.
Of course, Jin Seong-un could not gauge his odds against the Sect Leader.
Still, it was better than all four dying here together.
* Alone?
* There’s no other way.
Just as Jin Seong-un stepped forward to face her—
Clunk.
The firmly barred gate at the manor entrance rattled loudly.
Everyone’s gaze naturally turned toward the entrance.
Because a formation covered the entire manor, no external energy could be sensed.
Thus, no one could tell who had arrived.
The Sect Leader spoke.
“Do not concern yourselves. Unless I personally open it, that gate will never open.”
At the foundation of this formation lay her Fox Moon Qi.
Ordinary martial artists or formation masters could not properly interfere with it.
The gate rattled several more times.
Then silence fell, as though the visitor had given up.
Just as she sneered mockingly—
KWA-BOOOOOOM-!
A deafening explosion erupted as the wooden gate, together with its bar, shattered completely.
Through the now-wide-open entrance, majestic energy flooded inward like a tidal wave.
The Sect Leader’s brow furrowed.
‘Break Evil and Reveal Righteousness.’
Destroy the wicked and uphold righteousness.
The very type of martial artists she found most troublesome soon poured through the destroyed entrance.
Jin Seong-un immediately recognized the person leading them.
The woman who had stood alongside the Divine Monk of Shaolin, the Wudang Sword Immortal, and the Alliance Leader when he had visited the Imperial Palace.
The Mount Emei Sect Leader, Abbess Jeonghye.
Leading the elite of Mount Emei Sect, Abbess Jeonghye silently surveyed the scene.
At once, Han Myeong-wol and the Moon Command Sect disciples hurriedly bowed toward her.
“S-Sect Leader Elder.”
“I found it strange that all communication had ceased as though severed……”
Abbess Jeonghye looked down upon them with her characteristic rigid and resolute eyes.
Han Myeong-wol’s heart shook violently.
She knew their actions were unbecoming of a secular sect belonging to Mount Emei Sect.
If the Sect Leader Elder and the martial uncles learned of this, they would be severely reprimanded.
Yet in another sense, they had no choice.
Her martial elder sister and Moon Command Sect Leader, Han Hye-won, had merely made unavoidable decisions in order to preserve the sect.
Mount Emei Sect enforced far too many strict rules and restrictions, and this tiny Moon Command Sect situated in a remote county had no means of surviving while obeying them all.
Thinking such thoughts, Han Myeong-wol glanced toward her martial elder sister, the Moon Command Sect Leader.
At the very least, she needed to bow before the Sect Leader Elder and beg forgiveness to ease the situation.
Yet—
The woman stood upright, staring directly at the Sect Leader Elder without bowing at all.
“……S-Sect Leader!”
Han Myeong-wol whispered urgently.
Seeing this, Abbess Jeonghye’s face grew serious as though she found the situation absurd.
“Myeong-wol.”
“Y-Yes! Sect Leader Elder!”
“Who exactly do you think your Sect Leader is?”
“What?”
Han Myeong-wol lifted her head and looked toward her Sect Leader.
What exactly did that mean?
Her martial elder sister—the Moon Command Sect Leader—had trained within Mount Emei Sect for over a decade as a secular disciple.
Naturally, she had close ties with Abbess Jeonghye.
Then what was this reaction supposed to mean?
After quietly observing the situation, Abbess Jeonghye finally spoke in a low voice.
“So some demonic temptress has infected my disciples with evil. Where exactly is the true Moon Command Sect Leader?”
Abbess Jeonghye directed the question toward the Moon Command Sect Leader—
No, toward the Nine-Tails Fox, Cheon Bi-yeon.
Han Myeong-wol and the Moon Command Sect disciples looked back and forth between Abbess Jeonghye and their Sect Leader with utterly confused expressions.
Then Cheon Bi-yeon locked eyes with Abbess Jeonghye before finally twisting her lips as though she could no longer endure it.
“Puh…….”
A long, sharp laugh began leaking from her crimson lips.
Not forced laughter—
But laughter born because she genuinely found the situation unbearably amusing.
Watching that chilling laughter alongside the confused expressions of the Moon Command Sect disciples, Jin Seong-un realized this place was another Thunderclap Sect all over again.