Chapter 292

Chapter 292

Seong-uk, a disciple of Hwaryudo Sect, was now literally, not figuratively, dying.

Kaaaaaaang—!!!

“Kieeeeeeeek—!!!“

“Kieeeeeeeek!!!!“

At the sight of demons screaming right in front of his face, Seong-uk involuntarily screamed back and shook off his blade, then staggered backward while raising his signature weapon, a greatsword. Sword Qi flowing along the blade.

“Siiiiiiibal!!!!!It’s over!!!!!”

Watching the demons closing in their encirclement moment by moment, Seong-uk shouted while breaking out in a cold sweat and clenching his fists. Because the situation was turning out terribly.

‘Why the hell did it turn out like this!!!’

When they heard demons were attacking Yunnan.

Hwaryudo Sect, where Seong-uk belonged, immediately began packing. And for good reason—Hwaryudo Sect was a small sect with fewer than seven disciples.

How small and weak was the sect? The only ones who could draw Sword Qi were the sect leader and the first disciple, Seong-uk.

Since even the village they belonged to was a small village with barely a hundred residents, Hwaryudo Sect’s sect leader immediately decided to flee. To survive as the sect leader of a small sect in this harsh Jianghu, one needed to be quick-witted, and fortunately, Hwaryudo Sect’s sect leader was quite sharp.

‘Disciples!!! We’re fleeing to Dali!!!’

‘Understood!!!!!’

‘Lead the villagers’ evacuation!!! It won’t take long!!!’

‘Yes!!!’

Luojiang, where Hwaryudo Sect was located, wasn’t far from Dali, and Dianqiang Mountain was on the way.

Though the route was relatively rough, there was no worry about demon attacks. Dianqiang Sect’s Taoists would have cleaned up all the routes, so they just needed to quickly pack and go.

Hwaryudo Sect’s sect leader judged so, and actually, it was correct up to the midway point.

Until strange demons suddenly appeared, that is.

“These!!!Shibal bastards!!!!!Where did you come from!!!!!”

Three of the six disciples died.

The master, Hwaryudo Sect Leader, charged in saying he’d cut down the demon in a single stroke upon seeing it, only to be ganged up on and died within three seconds, and two of the remaining four martial brothers died while fleeing to save only themselves, stabbed in the back by demons.

What remained now were two martial brothers too young to even run away, himself, and a few trembling villagers behind him.

“Damn!!!”

Come at me. I won’t let you through here.

Because I’m a proud disciple of Hwaryudo Sect!

Seong-uk, who shook off his fear by deliberately shouting, raised his greatsword and charged at the demons. And in that moment, a fist struck Seong-uk’s side fiercely.

Kwaaaaang—!!!

“Kkeuheokkkeoheokkek!!!!“

Hit by a strike that could shatter a mountain, Seong-uk spat and was sent flying, dropping his sword. And watching that sight, the villagers let out deep sighs.

“……That’s as far as we go.”

“What can we expect? Ey.”

“It’s still too early to give up!!!!!”

“We’ve lived enough…… it’s time to go now…….”

“What can you expect from a greenhorn?”

“Uncles. I said I’m not dead!!!!!”

Chaeng!

Seong-uk, who sprang up from his spot, simply drew the blade from his fallen sect leader’s grip and stood up trembling. Rapid self-assessment taking place.

‘I can’t cut down these demons.’

He is the proud first disciple of Hwaryudo Sect and Luojiang’s Greatest Future Expert.

And Hwaryudo Sect is very weak. Really weak. A bottom-tier sect you can find anywhere.

Of course, his own achievements as Yunnan’s Greatest Future Expert are quite outstanding, but there are limits to the achievements one can obtain as a disciple of Hwaryudo Sect. In the end, the calculation stands that he too is a bottom-tier martial artist you can find anywhere.

Then can bottom-tier martial artists handle such demons?

‘Those guys are…… strong! Perhaps, they might be the strongest!’

They might be stronger than even the Ten Celestials. Didn’t they kill his master, Hwaryudo Sect Leader, a Sword Qi user and the Future Greatest Under Heaven Expert’s teacher, in a single strike?

‘My talent is heaven-bestowed talent, but……!’

Even so, it can’t compare to the Ten Celestials, who are the heavens of Jianghu. They say heroes awaken at times like this, but before entering Jianghu, I’m still immature. Aren’t I too inexperienced to face the Heaven-Shattering Demon Emperor who suddenly attacked this Yunnan when Sword Sage briefly stepped away!

Then there’s only one thing I can do.

“Uncles…… leave me behind and go……!”

“Oh, we can do that?”

“We’re surrounded, what do you mean leave you behind and go? That bastard, he’s a blockhead.”

“Ah, really!”

Seong-uk, who unleashed a lion’s roar toward villagers 1, 2, and 3 who kept throwing cold water on him, felt as if he was drawing out his True Origin True Qi and glared at the demon in front. Concentration reaching its extreme.

‘At least one……’

I’ll definitely take him with me.

Hwaryudo Blade Arts

Blazing Flow Retention

Chwaaaaaaaak!

“Heoeoeoк!“

Igniting power from his toes and connecting it to his waist, Seong-uk pulled his elbow back and finally cut down one demon.

“Tell them in hell. Heaven-Shattering Demon Emperor…… the future greatest under heaven, Seong-uk sent you.”

Is this place now my grave?

The moment Seong-uk muttered bitterly and looked at the demons surrounding him, shaking his head.

“Seohwa.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Flowing Snow Formless Fist

Isolated and Helpless

Jjeojeojeojeoк!

All the demon hordes blocking the way froze simultaneously.

“No…… way…….”

How can such earth-shattering power be shown? Could it be a master who achieved rejuvenation has arrived?

Unable to contain his shock, Seong-uk looked around before solemnly approaching the girl who appeared to have used the tremendous ice arts just now. And the moment the girl was about to open her mouth, Seong-uk took action.

“This unworthy disciple Seong-uk pays his respects!!!”

“……Pardon?”

“Please teach me martial arts!!!!!”

I am the protagonist, and the opponent is a rejuvenated master.

This is a fortuitous encounter.

A fortuitous encounter that came to me for protecting the weak and surviving to the end!

“Disciple of Hwaryudo Sect, Seong-uk.”

“Wow! I’m amazed. Such achievement at that age!”

At the sight of the strange fellow who immediately performed the ceremony of nine prostrations to Seohwa upon meeting, Seohwa frowned while glaring at him before turning her head. She seemed considerably displeased at being mistaken for at least fifty.

Well, even flattery needs moderation—if you flatter to that extent, it’s easy to be mistaken for sarcasm.

Smiling and sending an eye signal to Wangpal to soothe the sulking Seohwa, I stepped forward. Then Seong-uk turned his gaze to me.

“Who are you!”

“I’m the teacher of the child to whom you just performed the prostration ceremony.”

“Grand Master!”

“I don’t recall accepting you into Uicheon Sect.”

“We can create that from now on! Hwaryudo Sect’s sect leader is dead, so I’m the sect leader now! I’m going to disband it anyway!”

“……Isn’t the sect’s history precious?”

“My master told me! If he dies, he’ll need money for travel expenses, so bury his inheritance in his grave with him! So I’m planning to deliver Hwaryudo Sect as well by express burial along with him!!!!!”

“How ridiculous.”

What kind of unique people are all these?

Shaking my head side to side and casually spreading out the map to check the surrounding terrain, I crossed my arms. Though Seong-uk’s words were mostly useless, there was at least one useful thing among them.

‘Demons pushed in. All the way here?’

Looking at the reinforcement request sent up to the Murim Alliance, this place shouldn’t be a point attacked by demons yet. According to that report, Baoshan was in a state where Cheonglim Poison Valley Sect and Silyong Scholar Sect had pushed the front lines to some extent.

Unless it’s an incredibly strong demon that annihilated all witnesses, or a demon with special abilities that came without being noticed, the possibility of such miscellaneous demons reaching here while the front lines are pushed forward is extremely low. You could say it’s nonexistent.

But nevertheless, these demons reached here and attacked the villagers and Seong-uk. How is that possible?

‘The report doesn’t match the situation. The front lines aren’t pushed forward.’

Maybe I’m seeing it this way because I’m looking with prejudice, but it’s becoming increasingly suspicious. Perhaps the two sects submitted a false report.

“There won’t be demons beyond here.”

“Is that so!!!”

“That’s right. So tell your two martial brothers to lead the villagers and continue evacuating…….”

“Yep!!!”

“And you’ll need to help me. Are you by any chance knowledgeable about the geography of this area?”

“Is there any question about it!!!!! This Seong-uk of Luojiang!!! If it’s about competing in knowledge of Luojiang’s geography, I’m a man who could crush even Open Sect’s Manbakja with my pinky toe!!!!!”

“I’ll make sure to convey that remark to Elder Manbakja later.”

“Now that I think about it, I’m a man who’d die if hit by Manbakja’s pinky toe!!!!! But still a man knowledgeable about geography!!!!!”

“That’s fortunate.”

Shaking my head and spreading out the map.

“Do you by any chance know about Cheonglim Poison Valley Sect and Silyong Scholar Sect?”

“I’ve heard of them, but never met them!!!”

“Is that so? Which route do you think they’d take to go from Baoshan toward the border for support? Assuming they’re all masters.”

“If assuming they’re masters…….”

At my words, Seong-uk, who looked at the map with a serious expression for a moment, pointed to one part of the map.

“I think they went this way! Assuming they’re all Lightness Art masters!!!”

“Hmm. Why do you think so?”

“This way has rough mountain terrain but is the fastest! Though the road isn’t properly maintained!!!”

“I see.”

In an urgent situation, choosing the fastest route is all too natural.

“Can you guide us?”

“Of course, but……!”

Nodding at Seong-uk’s words and asking, Seong-uk hesitated.

“What is it?”

“The mountain terrain there is rough! Unless you’re a master of Lightness Art, it’s not easy to traverse……!”

“A master of Lightness Art. By chance, what level would that master level be?”

“Precisely, you’d need to be at a similar level to this Greatest Future Expert Under Heaven, Seong-uk!!! You’d need to be able to deploy Lightness Art while stepping on grass and leaving only very faint broken traces……!”

“Everyone except Hyungnim, who hasn’t learned martial arts, can do that.”

“Whaaat? Are you saying everyone here has reached the Transcendent Realm!!!”

“We haven’t reached the Transcendent Realm, but we’re probably lighter on our feet than you.”

If I brought all the Jianghu martial artists together, probably about one-fifth would have lighter feet than this fellow.

“Why do you look at me like that!!! As expected, you’re trying to recruit me into Uicheon Sect as quickly as possible!!! But this Seong-uk!!! I’m a man who won’t abandon Hwaryudo Sect at least during the three days of mourning!!!”

“……You’re quite loyal. Just guide us.”

“Understood!!!”

His voice is certainly remarkable.

Watching Seong-uk immediately take the lead, I sighed before something suddenly occurred to me and I turned my gaze toward Seong-uk.

“Come to think of it, you said you came from Luojiang?”

“That’s right!!!”

“Have you by any chance seen or heard about a martial artist named Sugak? He would have stopped by Luojiang occasionally. Because his mission area was near Baoshan.”

“Sugak…… ah, I remember! He stopped by the village!”

“Is that so? When was it?”

“Three days ago!”

“……Three days ago?”

“Yes!”

What does that mean? The report said the confirmation of Sugak’s corpse was five days ago.

“Did he by any chance say where he was going?”

“Ah, he said he was going toward Baoshan! He said he was going to protect Cheoldo Sect because it seemed like they’d be attacked!”

“Cheoldo Sect…….”

As expected, it’s a name I remember. If my memory is correct, it’s the place where Cheonglim Poison Valley Sect and Silyong Scholar Sect went to support together.

‘A dead person came back to life and headed there, and likewise, the two sects that headed there are showing strange behavior……?’

Did the dead person really come back to life?

Of course, there’s a possibility of that. I’m wandering around like a ghost like this too. But that was possible because Hyungnim is such an outstanding mystical practitioner, and even then, it’s just clinging to the soul.

Nevertheless, if Sugak was resurrected with a body, and if that wasn’t reported, probably the possibilities narrow down to one.

One of the Seven Great Demons that eats people and imitates those people. Muhyeong.

“Let’s go see for now.”

The two sects haven’t returned yet. If they’re returning the way they came, we’ll encounter them soon.

Exchanging glances with my disciples, I looked at the footwork of Seong-uk leading the way.

“Ultimate Lightness Art!!!”

……The grass Seong-uk stepped on was being mercilessly broken.

Completely contrary to his boast.