Chapter 310 : Is This How You Do It?

Abbess Jeonghye’s face twisted slightly.

Was she asking whether this was truly Mount Emei Sect’s martial art?

“What kind of absurd question is that…….”

The Extermination Sword was the ultimate technique passed down through the successive Sect Leaders of Mount Emei Sect.

If this was not Mount Emei Sect’s own martial art, then what else could it possibly be?

A short distance away, the Nine-Tailed Fox, Cheon Bi-yeon, stared fixedly at Abbess Jeonghye.

Judging from her expression, she had not reached certainty yet and still harbored suspicion.

Jin Seong-un also understood exactly why she wore such an expression.

‘It is certainly similar.’

Even if not the other Mount Emei Sect martial arts, the sword art Abbess Jeonghye displayed at the end possessed an energy nature and application extremely similar to the Lunar Essence Heart Art.

The problem was that it was not completely identical.

It was somewhat too different to dismiss as merely the result of time passing.

Furthermore, Master Daji had once described herself merely as a “seeker.”

Among such seekers, those who attained great enlightenment had supposedly founded the principles of Buddhism and Taoism.

Thus, in a way, it was not strange for the martial arts of the Buddhist Mount Emei Sect to resemble Master Daji’s techniques.

Jin Seong-un decided to leave multiple possibilities open for now.

He remembered what Chief Steward Lee had once said.

* Once people become obsessed with certainty, they naturally become biased.

And he had added that the moment one fixed a conclusion in advance, one rapidly became stupid.

Jin Seong-un thought he should visit Mount Emei Sect sometime soon.

‘Was it a forbidden zone for men?’

He decided to think about trivial matters later.

Jin Seong-un’s gaze shifted toward Cheon Bi-yeon.

It seemed she had already become trapped in the certainty Lee Seo-won had spoken of, because she was glaring fiercely at Abbess Jeonghye.

“I only need to confirm it myself.”

Cheon Bi-yeon charged forward.

She intended to draw out the Extermination Sword directly.

At the same time, Jin Seong-un transmitted a message to Abbess Jeonghye.

* Please refrain from using that sword art from before.

Abbess Jeonghye had lived long enough to be quite perceptive herself.

Though it was an utterly absurd misunderstanding, she could tell that this vicious enchantress was obsessing over the Extermination Sword.

Instead of using the Extermination Sword, Abbess Jeonghye unfolded the Tiger Subjugation Sword Art and began blocking Cheon Bi-yeon’s attacks.

In battle, it was important not to give the opponent what they wanted.

“You bitch! I told you to use that martial art again!”

Cheon Bi-yeon’s attacks grew increasingly savage.

Yet Abbess Jeonghye did not blink even once.

Even if a blade pierced her throat, she felt she absolutely could not display the Extermination Sword before this vile enchantress.

“Master!”

“Protect the disciples!”

As Cheon Bi-yeon’s assault became too fierce, Seo-wol—who had been about to rush forward—froze in place upon hearing her Sect Leader’s stern command.

Seo-wol turned her head toward the disciples and the children of Moon Command Sect.

Biting her lip, she tightly gripped her spear shaft and held her position.

Moyong Hyeon quietly approached her and pointed the Northern Star Sword forward as he spoke.

“Let us trust them. If it bothers us that much, then you and I should have reached Transcendent Peak sooner. Let us fulfill our roles here.”

Moyong Hyeon had already been thoroughly brainwashed by Seomun Ak’s obsession with Transcendent Peak.

Still, he was not entirely wrong, so Seo-wol gave a small nod.

Watching this, Seomun Ak became strangely indignant and charged toward Cheon Bi-yeon.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom took positions to either side of him.

As the three joined forces, Cheon Bi-yeon was steadily pushed backward.

In particular, Mount Emei Sect’s unique energy of Break Evil and Reveal Righteousness frequently caused her trouble.

‘How irritating.’

Cheon Bi-yeon frowned while glaring at Abbess Jeonghye.

At this rate, a prolonged battle would not favor her.

Brilliant purple energy exploded from her entire body.

If possible, she wanted to question both Jin Seong-un and Abbess Jeonghye about the Lunar Essence Heart Art, but she judged that to be excessive greed.

‘I should just take the one I can be certain about.’

Cheon Bi-yeon’s gaze briefly shifted toward Jin Seong-un.

Unlike Mount Emei Sect’s ambiguous martial arts, what he used was unmistakably the Lunar Essence Heart Art.

As a Beyond Heaven master—a Profound Realm expert—released her full power, the battle began tilting.

The first to collapse was Seomun Ak.

Perhaps because of Seo-wol’s appearance, he had overexerted himself earlier using Fist Aura, completely draining his internal energy.

Next was Seo Yu-gyeom.

He had fought the longest, and his mind had been heavily exhausted from his Heavenly Slaughter Star briefly running rampant.

Once the two withdrew from the battle, the burden on Jin Seong-un and Abbess Jeonghye became far heavier.

The sword arts of Mount Emei Sect and Jin Seong-un did not harmonize well.

One belonged to Buddhism, the other to Taoism.

The two were only forcefully coordinating through sheer skill.

Jin Seong-un noticed Abbess Jeonghye’s breathing becoming increasingly ragged.

She was one of the oldest elders even within the Orthodox martial world.

Though still an incredible master, she inevitably tired more easily compared to her prime.

Meanwhile, Cheon Bi-yeon’s attacks did not weaken in the slightest.

In fact, she seemed to grow stronger with time.

‘So her years were not spent idly.’

She was a woman who had existed for over two thousand years.

Martial prowess was not determined solely by age, but internal energy generally reflected time quite honestly.

It was impossible to even estimate how immense her dantian must be.

Rather than her Profound Realm itself, that ocean-like dantian appeared to be her true weapon.

Slaaash-!

Four claw marks carved through the air and deeply tore across Abbess Jeonghye’s left shoulder.

The ominous purple energy characteristic of Cheon Bi-yeon began invading the wound.

Abbess Jeonghye tried dispersing it with the energy of Break Evil and Reveal Righteousness, but the difference in power was too overwhelming.

At best, she could only slow the corruption.

Abbess Jeonghye staggered slightly.

At the same time, Cheon Bi-yeon abruptly closed in on Jin Seong-un.

Her face came so close that he could feel her breath.

Too close to swing a sword.

Jin Seong-un swiftly stamped his foot and condensed his energy.

Just as he was about to unleash palm force with his free left hand—

Cheon Bi-yeon’s palm touched his firm chest even faster.

Tap.

An incredibly light touch.

Yet instantly, Jin Seong-un felt every muscle in his body go limp.

The sword in his hand dropped to the ground.

His body swayed.

It was an internal energy technique taken to the absolute extreme.

It felt almost as though he were sparring with Master Daji herself.

Cheon Bi-yeon stopped moving and smiled leisurely at him.

“Had we met merely a hundred years later, I might have been in danger. Meeting me now is the greatest misfortune of your life.”

Having said that, Cheon Bi-yeon casually walked past him as though the situation were already over.

The place she headed toward was where the Moon Command Sect martial artists had gathered.

“Before I leave, I suppose I should dispose of all these worthless failures.”

She had always considered the Moon Command Sect disciples failures.

But after witnessing the genuine Lunar Essence Heart Art, that feeling intensified further.

To her, allowing such failures to exist in the world itself felt humiliating.

Moyong Hyeon and Seo-wol blocked Cheon Bi-yeon’s path.

Cheon Bi-yeon—exceptionally tall for a woman—looked down at Seo-wol and spoke.

“You are quite pretty.”

“Shut up.”

Seo-wol cursed back without backing down.

That reaction only amused Cheon Bi-yeon more.

She smiled faintly while glancing between Seo-wol and Moyong Hyeon.

“This girl should probably be killed, but this boy’s appearance is somewhat too valuable to waste.”

Cheon Bi-yeon frequently commented on appearances.

She gathered purple palm force in her hand, intending to crush Seo-wol in a single strike.

At that moment, Jin Seong-un’s voice sounded from behind.

“If even one person dies here, then I will die as well.”

It was a calm voice.

Cheon Bi-yeon turned back toward him with disbelief.

“A man without even a shred of pride, using himself as a hostage?”

“Is my pride more precious than their lives?”

Jin Seong-un understood exactly what Cheon Bi-yeon wanted.

Far more than he wished to ask her, she likely wished to ask him countless things.

“How absurd. Fine then, die. Do you think I would even blink?”

Cheon Bi-yeon raised her hand toward Seo-wol.

Though Seo-wol’s spear tip was pointed directly at her, she paid it no mind.

“…….”

Silence briefly passed.

Cheon Bi-yeon could not strike Seo-wol down.

She turned her head toward Jin Seong-un and muttered with a slight frown.

“You truly are a madman.”

That bastard truly would keep his word without hesitation.

How could there not be even a trace of fear or hesitation in a human’s eyes?

Cheon Bi-yeon finally sighed.

“Those who wield that energy were irritating in the past and remain irritating even now.”

With that, she turned her back on Seo-wol and Moyong Hyeon and walked back toward Jin Seong-un.

Then she lifted him up as though he were luggage.

She had already sealed every meridian in his body, so resistance was meaningless.

“Fine, I will not kill anyone. So now let us spend some intimate time together.”

At that moment, Seo-wol and Moyong Hyeon both tried targeting her back.

But her quiet voice continued.

“My patience also has limits.”

If they annoyed her any further, she would slaughter everyone present regardless of Moon Command Sect or anything else.

For a brief instant, the two met Jin Seong-un’s gaze.

Then they slowly lowered their blades.

Cheon Bi-yeon lightly leapt away and vanished.

Those left behind could only feel overwhelming defeat.

---

A pitch-black cave.

With a casual wave of her hand, purple flames erupted from the torches embedded throughout the cavern.

It meant those flames were sustained solely by her internal energy.

From the beginning, the entire cave had been filled with extremely dense Fox Moon Qi.

It seemed she had created this environment after living here for ages.

After gently setting Jin Seong-un onto the floor, she changed into more comfortable clothing.

Even with him right behind her, she showed no concern whatsoever.

Jin Seong-un also did not avert his gaze.

During their journey here, the Lunar Essence Qi had naturally undone the acupoint seals throughout his body.

That was how the Lunar Essence Qi functioned.

Even without the user’s intention, it restored injuries, broke acupoint seals, and accumulated internal energy.

After changing into thin light-pink silk garments, Cheon Bi-yeon smiled seductively in her usual manner.

“No matter how fiercely you glare, what could you possibly accomplish alone?”

She had already perceived that Jin Seong-un was searching for a chance to strike.

Jin Seong-un clicked his tongue regretfully.

Cheon Bi-yeon scooped water from a small pond deep within the cave and drank before asking him,

“Would you like a drink?”

“I would.”

Cheon Bi-yeon smirked and casually waved her hand.

A fierce gust instantly sent the pond water flying toward Jin Seong-un’s face.

Since she had already noticed the acupoint seals were undone, there was no reason to simply sit there and get drenched.

Jin Seong-un used the principles of Grasping Objects Through the Air, condensed part of the water into his hand, and drank.

“I take back what I said earlier. Not a hundred years—had we met merely thirty years later, I might truly have been in danger.”

She sincerely felt a chill.

Having existed for over two thousand years, thirty years felt like a mere fleeting moment to her.

Meaning that fleeting difference had determined the victor of this battle.

“For countless years, I tried. Even I had to admit that bitch Daji’s cultivation art was extraordinary. I thought that cultivation art bewitched people’s hearts just like my Soul-Ensnaring Art. Otherwise, how could the entire world have loved her so deeply?”

“And did you succeed?”

Cheon Bi-yeon frowned.

The Moon Command Sect martial artists already demonstrated the result.

That bastard was deliberately asking just to mock her.

“Do not irritate me. I could tear you apart at any moment.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“…….”

Cheon Bi-yeon fell silent.

She wanted to interrogate him about Daji and the Lunar Essence Heart Art immediately, drain all his vital essence, and kill him.

“If someone who learned the Lunar Essence Heart Art helped me, wouldn’t it be possible? Honestly speaking, am I not superior to Daji?”

Cheon Bi-yeon smiled sweetly.

Unlike before, her tone had become incredibly gentle and affectionate.

Jin Seong-un stared at her before letting out a faint laugh.

The meaning of that laugh was obvious.

It mocked her for daring to compare herself to Daji.

“……You truly are a stubborn man. I bear no particular ill will toward you. I merely wish to settle my ancient grudge with that bitch Daji. So where is she?”

“If I told you, could you even go there?”

If possible, Jin Seong-un truly wanted to bring this woman into the Martial God Realm.

He did not believe Cheon Bi-yeon surpassed the Blood Demon or the Sword Immortal in strength.

No—even compared to Master Daji.

Two thousand years ago, Master Daji may indeed have been weaker.

That was likely why she had fallen victim then.

But over the long years, the two beings had clearly walked completely different paths.

Master Daji had spent immeasurable ages alongside the Martial Gods, perfecting the Lunar Essence Heart Art.

If they met now, there was no chance his master would lose to this woman.

She had become someone capable of fighting even the Blood Demon.

“There is something I wish to ask.”

Jin Seong-un spoke casually.

Cheon Bi-yeon shook her head slightly.

“You truly are a child who does not understand taking turns. Still, fine. We shall speak at length tonight. Ask.”

Maintaining her relaxed demeanor, she lightly stroked Jin Seong-un’s cheek with her hand.

It was the calm composure of someone who believed herself completely dominant.

Jin Seong-un placed his palm over the back of her hand and spoke in his usual dry tone.

“Is this how you do it?”

Instantly, all strength drained from Cheon Bi-yeon’s body and her figure staggered.

It was the exact same acupoint sealing technique she had used on Jin Seong-un earlier at Moon Command Sect.

“W-What is this……?”

The being who had lived for thousands of years now looked at Jin Seong-un as though he were the true monster.