Chapter 286: Escape Attempt (1)
A symbol of a single line vertically penetrating the center of the character two (二).
Staring intently at this, Mok Gyeong-un's mind became complicated.
This charred remnant was definitely said to be related to the day of the Great Calamity.
In fact, since it was also part of the evidence that a divination art, or a technique, was used, he hadn't thought anything more or less of it, but this was completely unexpected.
'Didn't they say the day of the Great Calamity occurred during the era of the old martial world?'
However, the fact that this clue related to the day of the Great Calamity had a symbol meant one thing.
'…Does this mean that the organization of the symbol existed even back then?'
Mok Gyeong-un's expression turned strange.
He was convinced through various information he had collected that the organization of the symbol was related to his grandfather's death.
However, he didn't know that the organization of the symbol had existed for such a long time.
What the hell are these guys trying to do?
They're also related to the Fire Faith Order and closely connected to the Heaven and Earth Society.
And although it's not certain, if the clue is correct, they're also related to the day of the Great Calamity, which is said to have killed countless people.
'What could it be?'
It wasn't strange for an organization to have existed for a long time.
However, this organization wasn't one that everyone knew about and was close to a secret group.
Moreover, the things this organization has been doing so far are different from other organizations.
If this organization is closely related to the day of the Great Calamity, they become the mastermind who drove the entire Central Plains into the worst crisis.
'Ha.'
The corners of Mok Gyeong-un's mouth twitched.
The more he learned about them, the harder it became to fathom their purpose and scale.
He had started with the sole purpose of capturing his grandfather's enemy, but the more he dug, the more it felt like it was just the tip of the iceberg.
'Hmm.'
Mok Gyeong-un stroked his chin.
He had thought that he only needed to capture the enemy who killed his grandfather, but now that he knew the scale of the mastermind was beyond expectations, it seemed like it wasn't a problem he could approach simply.
'…I need to have more cards.'
When he thought the mastermind was a martial artist, he believed that he only needed to be strong to the desired level.
But the situation was gradually changing.
If the scale of the mastermind was at a level he couldn't handle alone, he also needed to prepare his own set of cards accordingly.
At that moment, Six Offices Commander So Yerin spoke to Mok Gyeong-un.
"Young Master Mok. Did you discover something?"
At her question, Mok Gyeong-un held up the symbol and said with a smile,
"It seems we are connected in many ways, Officer So."
"Connected?"
"This is a symbol."
"Symbol? What is it?"
"Yes. It's the symbol used by a certain organization."
"That means… This clue is related to that organization of the symbol?"
"I can't be certain, but the fact that this is on the clue that Officer So's father obtained, which is said to be related to the day of the Great Calamity, means there's a very high probability of that."
"What kind of organization is it?"
At her question, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and replied,
"I don't know that well either."
"You don't know?"
"Yes. I'm also trying to find out about this organization of the symbol."
With those words, Mok Gyeong-un glanced at the Holy Fire Priestess.
She definitely knew something about this organization.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for the organization of the symbol to secure the safety of the Fire Faith Order members and try to find out something through Holy Fire Priestess.
Meeting Mok Gyeong-un's eyes, the Holy Fire Priestess made a strange expression.
Meanwhile, So Yerin said to Mok Gyeong-un,
"I apologize, Young Master Mok. May I ask why you are trying to find out about this organization of the symbol?"
She had also been investigating based on the clues of the Great Calamity for a long time to find her father's enemy.
However, she hadn't been able to find out anything so far, so when Mok Gyeong-un said that this symbol was related to a specific organization, she became curious.
At her question, Mok Gyeong-un replied nonchalantly,
"Because I have a very big debt to pay."
-Flinch!
A gleam flashed in So Yerin's eyes.
Although she hadn't known Mok Gyeong-un for very long, she had never seen him express any special emotions.
However, for the first time, she detected a faint but killing intent in Mok Gyeong-un's voice.
This meant one thing.
'They have a hostile relationship.'
If that was the case, it was truly coincidental.
They had met for different purposes, but at the intersection, there was the same goal.
To her, Mok Gyeong-un said with a smile,
"It seems Officer So and I have some aligned interests."
"…What a coincidence. I had the same thought."
If their objectives were the same, there was no need to confront each other; it would be better to join hands.
At that moment,
-Swish!
Someone familiar appeared, penetrating through the warehouse building.
It was none other than Cheong-ryeong.
Suddenly appearing, Cheong-ryeong approached Mok Gyeong-un and said as if it was absurd,
-What are you doing? Mortal. Why are you still here?
She had expected him to have moved to the outside of the outer castle by now, according to the plan.
However, when she couldn't see him, she sensed the connection and came looking for Mok Gyeong-un.
-I went through the trouble of killing the Prince Gyeongjin to distract the Embroidered Uniform Guards, yet you're dawdling here.
-It's not dawdling; there was a bit of a situation.
-Situation or not, because of the underground golden prison, the troops of the Embroidered Uniform Guards have already set up formations at all the gates of the outer castle, and the eunuchs of the East and Western Depots have started searching inside the castle. If you don't hurry, you really won't be able to leave.
-…We've delayed quite a bit.
-If you know, then hurry up.
-I'll have to do that.
As he responded like that, So Yerin suddenly frowned and looked towards where Cheong-ryeong was.
It wasn't just her.
Nine Blood Sect's Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha was also looking with eyes filled with vigilance.
-Ho. These beings have unusual spiritual perception.
Cheong-ryeong was amazed.
She had reached a level close to Indigo Spirit and was hiding her spiritual power to the maximum, yet these two were capturing her faint traces with their senses.
Even if they couldn't see her, something would feel uncomfortably stimulating their sixth sense, not just their five senses.
-Swish!
At that moment, So Yerin drew out her innate true energy and tried to approach where Cheong-ryeong was.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un blocked her way and said,
"It seems we've delayed too much."
"Delayed?"
"Yes, unlike the original plan, I met Officer So and stayed here for too long."
"Ah… Are you going to leave the imperial palace?"
"As you can see."
Mok Gyeong-un pointed to Holy Fire Priestess with a nod and said,
Originally, the purpose was to kidnap her, who had been imprisoned in the Eternal Hell Prison.
"You said you would remain here, Officer So, right?"
"…Yes. I have things to do."
"Then I think we'll have to part ways for now. If we obtain useful information from the inside and outside, let's meet later and exchange it."
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, So Yerin nodded.
Even if they had the same purpose, there was no need to stick together.
Rather, if they each gathered information from the inside and outside and combined it, they could get closer to their goal.
"By the way, Young Master Mok. How are you going to leave the imperial palace?"
At her question, Mok Gyeong-un looked at the masked Embroidered Uniform Guard Ma Ra-hyeon, who was sitting cross-legged and entering a state of meditation.
As if he had just finished organizing his enlightenment, he was slowly opening his eyes.
***
-Rattle rattle rattle rattle!
Three large carts loaded with food waste containers were lined up.
In the imperial palace, where tens of thousands of people reside, including the outer and inner palace, the leftover food and such from that day are classified and used as fodder for livestock or fertilizer for cultivation.
For this purpose, food waste carts leave the imperial palace several times a day.
There were three palace servants pulling these food waste carts, and they were Mok Gyeong-un, Seop Chun, and Mong Mu-yak wearing human skin masks that had been prepared in advance.
And next to these food waste carts, as if escorting them, was the masked Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon Ra-hyeon.
After traveling for a while, a fork in the road appeared.
-Swish!
At that moment, Six Offices Commander So Yerin appeared about a dozen jang away and pointed in a direction with a hand gesture.
At her signal, Ma Ra-hyeon nodded and said to Mok Gyeong-un and the others who were pulling the carts,
"To the right path."
At this, they pulled the carts to the right and moved.
Their method was as follows.
Six Offices Commander So Yerin would go ahead and guide the path so that the food waste carts could move in a direction where there were no search teams from the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Eastern Depot, or Western Depot.
Originally, So Yerin's role could have been sufficiently handled by Cheong-ryeong alone, but she had volunteered to help with their escape, so they left it to her.
-Rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle!
Among these food waste containers, there were ones where the Holy Fire Priestess and Nine Blood Sect's Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha were hiding.
'Whew.'
'Damn it.'
Those who were inside the containers filled with mixed food waste were internally feeling like they were going to die.
It was because the mixture of food waste emitted a nauseating smell like vomit.
However, from the perspective of those who had endured all sorts of torture and interrogation while imprisoned in the Eternal Hell Prison, this much was not unbearable.
-Rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle!
Worry filled the eyes of So Yerin, who had been moving ahead and guiding them.
For now, she was avoiding the search teams by heightening her five senses and spiritual perception, but soon they would reach the central gate of the outer palace.
Normally, if it was a food waste cart, they would just let it pass, but since the imperial palace was in chaos due to the underground golden prison incident, there was a high probability that search teams would be guarding that place.
'We must not get caught.'
If it weren't for Holy Fire Priestess, the escape would have been relatively easier.
However, to get out while taking her, who hadn't even properly cultivated martial arts and couldn't even walk without a cane due to her old age, they had to be as cautious as possible.
'At least the fortunate thing is that there are no Embroidered Uniform Guards in the search teams.'
For some reason, the Embroidered Uniform Guards were nowhere to be seen.
If they were also in the search teams, it would have been quite difficult to help.
Here, she didn't know the exact reason, but this was something that happened thanks to Cheong-ryeong.
Because Cheong-ryeong, possessing Prince Gyeongjin's body, had jumped to his death shouting that the Embroidered Uniform Guards had driven him to suicide, most of the urgently summoned Embroidered Uniform Guards were detained in Bigyeong Palace.
Although they had missed the optimal opportunity to escape before the search began, it could be said to be the last chance to escape since the Embroidered Uniform Guards were still absent.
-Rattle rattle rattle!
Like that, the food waste carts they were pulling reached the central gate of the outer palace, which Six Offices Commander So Yerin had been concerned about.
As expected, the Embroidered Uniform Guards and Western Depot eunuchs had set up formations at the central gate pavilion of the outer palace.
The one commanding them was the Supervising Attendant, the position just below the Junior Eunuch of the Western Depot.
"Stop."
As the Supervising Attendant stopped the carts, the masked Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon Ra-hyeon stepped forward.
Ma Ra-hyeon showed his identification tag to the Western Depot Supervising Attendant and said,
"I am Ma Ra-hyeon, Thousand-men Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. These are food waste carts. The inspection was completed before departure, and I received orders to let them out…"
"Please step aside, Commander."
"What…"
"Not what, but since a red alert has been issued, all entry and exit must undergo an inspection procedure."
"…I understand."
"Check them."
"Yes!"
As the Western Depot Supervising Attendant gave the order, the Western Depot eunuchs began opening the lids of the food waste containers on the carts.
Each time a lid was opened, tension filled the eyes of Ma Ra-hyeon, Seop Chun, and Mong Mu-yak, who were wearing human skin masks.
If they were caught here, everything would be ruined.
-Click! Click!
The Western Depot eunuchs, who were opening the food waste containers while covering their noses with their sleeves, had already reached the containers where Holy Fire Priestess and Dam Baek-ha were hiding.
As the food waste container was opened, it was filled with food waste.
'Huff.'
The Holy Fire Priestess, who was holding her breath inside, remained still as if she were dead.
She had been prepared in advance and learned how to hold her breath, but she hadn't properly cultivated martial arts and was of old age, so it was difficult for her to hold her breath for a long time.
Like that, all the lids were opened.
The Western Depot eunuchs who had inspected this soon signaled to the Western Depot Supervising Attendant that it was fine.
Fortunately, it seemed they hadn't been discovered.
"Since there doesn't seem to be any problem, let them pass through the central gate…"
"No. Not yet."
"…Not yet? What's the problem?"
"Lend me a sword."
As the Supervising Attendant stretched out his hand and spoke to one of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he took out a sword from the scabbard at his waist and brought it over.
Ma Ra-hyeon frowned.
'Could it be?'
It was that moment.
The Western Depot Supervising Attendant stabbed the sword into one of the food waste containers.
-Stab!
'!?'
The expression of Seop Chun, who was watching this from up close, stiffened.
He thought they would pass safely, but the worst situation had occurred.
The Western Depot Supervising Attendant wasn't just stabbing the inside of the food waste container once but was frantically stabbing it all over.
-Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!
Then,
"Here, you saw it, right? Guards warriors, please do this to each food waste container as I did."
"Understood."
They were stabbing the inside of the foo"Understood."
-Shing! Shing! Shing!
The Embroidered Uniform Guard, who understood the words of the Western Depot Supervising Attendant, drew their swords.
Then, one or two of them divided up and went to the food waste carts.
At this, Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun, who were in front of the carts, hesitated for a moment with perplexed eyes, wondering what to do.
Since it had come to this, should they subdue these guys?
However, there were too many of them to do that.
There were nearly fifty of them, and if they couldn't subdue them all at once, they would blow the small horn around their necks and request assistance.
-Stab! Stab!
But it was no longer a situation to consider that.
They were stabbing the inside of the food waste containers with swords, and if they got stabbed by that, not only would they be discovered, but the Holy Fire Priestess might die.
At that moment, an Embroidered Uniform Guard tried to bring his sword towards the food waste container where Holy Fire Priestess was.
'Damn it!'
Mong Mu-yak, who thought there was no other way, finally tried to step forward and take action.
But right at that moment,
-Poof!
Suddenly, a hand popped out from one of the food waste containers.
"Gasp! Wha-what…"
The Embroidered Uniform Guards warrior who had tried to stab the food waste container was startled and tried to shout.
But before he could, the hand that had popped out from the food waste suddenly flicked its fingers.
-Flick!
As soon as the fingers were flicked like that,
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Western Depot eunuchs nearby all collapsed on the spot with their eyes rolled back, falling unconscious.
At that sight, Ma Ra-hyeon's eyes widened, as did those of Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun.
But while they thought everyone had fainted, there was one person among them who had endured it.
He was the Western Depot Supervising Attendant, who had the deepest internal energy among them.
"Th-this is…"
-Pak!
"Mmph!"
Someone covered his mouth.
"You made things bigger. It would have been nice if you had just let us pass."
The one whispering in his ear while covering his mouth was none other than Mok Gyeong-un, who was wearing a human skin mask.
"Mmph mmph!"
The Western Depot Supervising Attendant, flustered, tried to shake off Mok Gyeong-un's hand.
But before he could,
-Crack!
Mok Gyeong-un twisted the Supervising Attendant's neck.
With his neck twisted in the opposite direction, the Supervising Attendant's breath was cut off.
Mok Gyeong-un gently placed his dead body on the ground and looked at the hand that had popped out from the food waste container.
The hand with sharp nails belonged to none other than Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha.
Looking at her popped-out hand, interest stirred in Mok Gyeong-un's eyes.
288: Chapter 287: Escape Attempt (2)
The entrance to the underground golden prison was literally a scene of chaos.
Due to the sudden collapse of the Eternal Hell Prison, the Fourth Office's Embroidered Uniform Guards were in disarray.
If the head of the Fourth Office, Six Offices Commander Im Gyu-weol, had been present, there would have been a command system in place, and they would have tried to handle the situation somehow, but now they were only focused on determining whether there were any escapees from the underground golden prison.
Amidst this, an even more perplexing situation occurred.
That was,
'H-how…'
The Fourth Office's Thousand-men Commander Mak Myeong-ho was not just tense but even breaking out in cold sweat as he prostrated himself.
In front of him was a being he couldn't even dare to look at.
An old man with a pale complexion and a haggard appearance, leaning on the luxurious jade seat of a palanquin, wearing a golden dragon robe.
That being was none other than,
'Has Your Majesty come to this place?'
The emperor.
As the emperor who ruled this nation personally arrived, Thousand-men Commander Mak Myeong-ho's mind was turning blank.
The situation was already the worst in the history of the Fourth Office, and his head was filled with thoughts of how to handle this matter, but now he had no idea what to do.
Then, the emperor's voice was heard,
"If it's red smoke, does it mean the Eternal Hell Prison has collapsed?"
"…Th-that…"
Thousand-men Commander Mak Myeong-ho was so shaken that he couldn't answer properly.
Then someone beside him urged,
"Can't you answer properly?"
At the heavy voice, Thousand-men Commander Mak Myeong-ho's eyes wavered.
He could tell who it was as soon as he heard it.
There were two guards and close aides who officially assisted the emperor by his side.
Among them, he was the most widely known and was no different from a direct superior to himself.
"Hurry up and answer the question."
"Y-yes! The Eternal Hell Prison has collapsed!"
The face of Mak Myeong-ho, who was prostrating, became distressed.
Now that His Majesty the Emperor had personally come here, it was over, regardless of handling the situation.
Even if they managed to handle it, they would be held responsible for this incident.
The probability of losing his head was the highest, and even if not, he would be exiled or imprisoned in the golden prison.
As he was suffering while imagining what would happen in the future, the emperor's voice reached his ears,
"Then someone attempted to escape, but did anyone come out?"
"N-no, Your Majesty. I was guarding the entrance, but there was not even the slightest sign of it until the red smoke rose. Please believe me."
"Are you saying there was an attempt to escape from the Eternal Hell Prison, but no one came out?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
"Hmm."
At the groaning sound as if deep in thought, Mak Myeong-ho's lips became parched.
Surely, there were no escapees while he was standing guard.
No, there shouldn't be.
That way, even if he was held responsible, he could at least save his life.
At that moment, the emperor spoke,
"Seong-baek, in your opinion, since the Eternal Hell Prison has collapsed, do you think there will be no escapees?"
"If the Eternal Hell Prison has collapsed, those who attempted to escape would have also fallen and lost their lives when the ground caved in."
"Can you be certain of that?"
"I cannot guarantee it."
"Why is that?"
"Those imprisoned in the Eternal Hell Prison are freaks that we cannot let down our guard even for a moment. As Your Majesty knows, it is a place with all sorts of monsters who have survived for decades without eating anything. We cannot ignore the variables."
"Variables…"
"…"
"Seong-baek."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How many people in the Eternal Hell Prison, no, in this entire imperial palace, can deceive you with that so-called martial arts of yours?"
At the emperor's question, an answer came without a moment's hesitation.
"There are none, Your Majesty."
"None?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
He displayed tremendous confidence.
Then the emperor said with the corners of his mouth raised,
"If you put your mind to it, how long do you think it would take to search the entire imperial palace?"
"Within three quarters of an hour would be sufficient."
"Then go and come back."
"However, Your Majesty…"
"By my side are the Chief Eunuch Gwak of the Inner Palace Administration and him. You don't need to worry. Rather, if there was an escape attempt from the Eternal Hell Prison, it wouldn't have happened spontaneously in a short period. Just in case, hurry up."
"…I, Gu Seong-baek, accept Your Majesty's order!"
-Swish!
As soon as those words ended, the figure of the one called Gu Seong-baek disappeared.
***
Mok Gyeong-un looked at the hand of Nine Blood Sect's Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha, which had popped out of the food waste container, with interest.
To him, who had his spiritual eyes open, it was visible.
The strange-shaped ripples that had spread from Dam Baek-ha's hand.
Mok Gyeong-un could tell that this strange-shaped energy was identical to what she had tried to use on him in the Eternal Hell Prison.
But at that time, he had wondered what the hell it was.
However, as this energy flowed out in all directions, interesting results occurred.
It seemed to stimulate the senses of the targets contacted by the energy to deceive them, and they all fainted.
'…Sound. The shape of the energy would be a hand seal.'
Although he couldn't know the exact hand seal, he roughly guessed based on the shape.
The thought is repeated in a certain way.
And that repeated thought stimulates and deceives the opponent's senses.
That means it's a kind of suggestion.
'Interesting.'
The corners of Mok Gyeong-un's mouth twitched.
Then someone's voice was heard,
-What was that just now?
It was Cheong-ryeong.
She had been observing the situation from the air and came down to provide assistance when she judged that things had gone awry.
But she was puzzled when the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Western Depot eunuchs suddenly fainted.
-I don't know exactly either. It seems to be a kind of suggestion.
-Suggestion?
-Yes. I've seen it before in my grandfather's books. If you stimulate with sound or something visible and repeat it…
-Bam!
"Puah."
At that moment, Dam Baek-ha's face popped out of the food waste container.
Not just her, but Holy Fire Priestess, who had been enduring inside the midst of food waste, also couldn't bear it and stuck her face out.
"Huff huff."
"Elder, are you alright?"
Seop Chun asked the Holy Fire Priestess.
No matter how much he had taught her how to hold her breath, it must have been even more difficult for her to endure since she was old and hadn't cultivated martial arts.
"I'm… I'm fine. Huff… huff."
At Seop Chun's question, the Holy Fire Priestess nodded with a pale face and replied.
Honestly speaking, not only the smell of the food waste but also holding her breath was all difficult, but she was enduring it by gritting her teeth.
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un approached Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha, who was catching her breath, and said,
"How about continuously utilizing that technique from earlier?"
"What do you mean?"
"If that technique is a kind of suggestion, it can deceive the opponent's perception itself, so wouldn't it be possible to make them perceive us as if we don't exist in the first place?"
'!?'
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha's eyes widened.
She had never told Mok Gyeong-un about this technique.
No, there was no reason to tell him in the first place.
But how did Young Master Mok know that this was a kind of suggestion?
As she was wondering, someone appeared at that moment.
-Swish!
The one who approached them was Six Offices Commander So Yerin, who had changed her outer clothing to the attire worn by palace maids at some point.
In her right hand, she was holding a black mask, so it seemed she was trying to conceal her identity and mobilize force.
Looking at the fainted Embroidered Uniform Guard, she said,
"You used the Illusion Sutra, didn't you?"
"Yes. As expected, you know about it too, Miss. My master directly learned it from him."
"I see. Then rather than hiding in the food waste containers, it would be more helpful to use the Illusion Sutra."
"…That's difficult."
"Why is that?"
"Unlike his bloodline, I didn't cultivate the innate true energy I possess, so I can't use the suggestion consecutively. At least, thanks to consuming the blood of a spiritual creature, my original energy has increased, making this much possible, but using it continuously within a day is beyond my capacity."
"Ah…"
At this, So Yerin nodded as if she understood.
To her, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha said,
"Then how about you using the Illusion Sutra, Miss?"
At her words, So Yerin spoke as if she was in a difficult position,
"Even if I want to use it, I can't."
"What do you mean by that?"
"My father said that even my grandfather, who was still the So Clan Leader, couldn't learn the Illusion Sutra from his grandfather. So I don't know how to do it either."
"Ah!"
At her words, Dam Baek-ha exclaimed in surprise instead.
"I'm truly delighted. It seems that he imparted this skill to my master only for this day. To have an opportunity to repay the favor received to his descendant like this."
"Blood Demon…"
"Before we leave this place, I will teach you the hand seals of the Illusion Sutra, Miss."
"…Thank you. But I think we need to hurry before that. Since the search team at the central gate has all fainted, they will soon notice and all the search forces will gather here."
"I understand."
Like that, they closed the food waste container lids again and hurriedly departed.
Now that they had passed the central gate, if they could just reach the south gate of the outer castle quickly, the probability of being able to get out somehow would increase.
Pulling the food waste carts, they accelerated even more.
Since So Yerin was scouting the surroundings on the ground and Cheong-ryeong in the air, there wouldn't be any problems with the route itself.
Moving without any obstacles, they gradually approached the south gate.
But as they were moving for a while like that,
-Rattle rattle rattle rattle!
-Flinch!
Mok Gyeong-un, who had been pulling the cart, suddenly stopped.
As Mok Gyeong-un abruptly stopped the cart, Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun also stopped and asked in puzzlement,
"My lord. Why are you suddenly doing this?"
"…They're coming."
"What do you mean by that?"
-Bam!
At that moment, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha, who had been hiding in the food waste container, suddenly opened the lid and popped out.
With an expression filled with vigilance, she assumed the stance of the Blood Jade Hands.
Dam Baek-ha swallowed dryly as she looked in the northwest direction.
It had been a long time since her spiritual perception had been stimulated to this extent.
"Hey, you little brats. Hide together with the young old woman."
"What?"
-Swish!
As they were puzzled, Six Offices Commander So Yerin appeared in front of them with her face covered by a black cloth.
So Yerin had already drawn her sword at some point.
"Officer So?"
The masked Embroidered Uniform Guard Ma Ra-hyeon also asked in puzzlement at their reactions.
Then So Yerin waved her hand behind her and hurriedly said,
"Commander Ma Ra-hyeon. Step back. Hurry!"
As soon as her words ended,
-Goooooooo!
The true energy in all directions became so heavy that it was difficult to breathe, and in an instant, Ma Ra-hyeon's legs staggered as if his shoulders were being pressed down.
'Wh-what the hell is this…'
It wasn't just him.
Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun also grimaced at the tremendous pressure.
'Oh no!'
'What kind of energy?'
An immeasurably vast energy was enveloping the entire surroundings, and the two of them felt their hearts racing intensely.
-Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Their gazes slowly turned towards one place.
-Step step!
A handsome middle-aged man with chiseled features, wearing a black robe and a golden belt, appeared there.
Seeing the handsome man walking with his hands behind his back, So Yerin's eyes trembled intensely.
'Ah… Why him of all people.'
The worst had occurred among the anticipated situations.
That Embroidered Uniform Guard in the black robe was the one standing at the pinnacle of the Embroidered Uniform Guards as a working-level official, along with the Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon.
Embroidered Uniform Guard Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek.
Guarding the emperor by his side, he was the supreme master of the imperial palace and was referred to like this in the martial world.
The Blade King of the Northern Sect, one of the Six Heavens.
"There are three who have surpassed the wall. No need to go easy on them."
-Shing!
An enlightened grandmaster-level expert occupying one seat among the six heavens, known as the pinnacle of the Central Plains martial world, was now drawing his blade towards them.
289: Chapter 288: The Northern Sect Blade King (1)
Gu Seong-baek, the Southern Pacification Commissioner.
His other title as the Emperor's bodyguard was the Northern Blade King, the current pinnacle of the martial arts world and one of the Six Heavens.
The most famous anecdote about him was when he split three large ships led by the Changjiang River Gang on the Yangtze River with a single blade stroke.
Thanks to this tremendous battle, the Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek newly ascended to the peak of the martial arts world, which was originally called the Five Heavens.
-Srrng!
The gaze of Gu Seong-baek, who was drawing his blade, swept past Mok Gyeong-un disguised as a palace maid wearing a human skin mask, So Yerin the Six Offices Commander wearing a palace maid outfit with a black mask, and Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint covered in food waste from head to toe.
'It's clear.'
He had received the Emperor's order and was quickly scanning the inner palace and the entire outer palace.
Expanding his perception to the maximum, he found them in an instant.
Finding them was not that difficult.
No matter how much they tried to conceal their energy, it would be stranger if he, known as the pinnacle of the Central Plains martial arts world and one of the Six Heavens, couldn't find them when he put his mind to it.
'Faint energy.'
Gu Seong-baek's sharp gaze turned towards a food waste container after passing by the three people.
Although it was hidden, he detected a subtle energy.
Judging by the extremely ordinary energy, it seemed to be the target they were trying to hide and take away.
Other than that,
'There's a traitor.'
Gu Seong-baek's gaze turned to Ma Ra-hyeon, the Thousand-men Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard wearing a mask.
Ma Ra-hyeon, whose eyes met his, soon let out a rough breath and took a step back.
'This is… a Six Heavens…'
Ma Ra-hyeon was utterly perplexed.
He thought he had become much stronger after achieving enlightenment, but just the pressure of his energy alone made it difficult to breathe. That man was a monster itself.
It was that moment.
-Pak!
Gu Seong-baek raised his unique blade, the Golden Dawn Moon, with one hand.
The moment his blade rippled with a blue light.
This was Blade Qi.
'What kind of energy condensation is this?'
Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak couldn't hide their bewilderment at the sight.
The blue Blade Qi that formed in an instant without any signs the moment he raised his blade was truly marvelous.
However, the problem was the target of the killing intent that accompanied this marvel.
-Pak!
Gu Seong-baek, who had raised the large Golden Dawn Moon with one hand, swung it mercilessly towards where Mok Gyeong-un, So Yerin, and Dam Baek-ha were.
The moment he swung his blade, the blue Blade Qi took the form of a gigantic blade and struck down ruthlessly in a tyrannical blade strike.
-Kwaaang!
The ground split and fragments rushed in all directions due to the Blade Qi that stretched over ten jang.
The view was briefly obscured by a dust storm, but this disappeared with just a light gesture from Gu Seong-baek.
As the hazy dust disappeared, Gu Seong-baek's eyes glinted with interest.
Thanks to Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint, whose hands were stained with red Blood Jade, and So Yerin in a black mask holding a sword rippling with blue Sword Qi, the impact of the damage did not reach Ma Ra-hyeon, Seop Chun, Mong Mu-yak, or the food waste cart.
"Not bad."
It was not a merciful strike, as they had crossed the wall.
However, those two masters had exquisitely deflected the force of his blade strike.
They were no ordinary individuals.
'Red hands. The Blood Jade hands of the immortal witch.'
The moment Gu Seong-baek saw Dam Baek-ha's Blood Jade hands, he instantly recognized that she was an escaped prisoner.
He was also part of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so he knew this information.
Gu Seong-baek's sharp gaze turned towards the food waste container.
In conclusion, they were prisoners attempting to escape and thieves trying to assist them.
-Ssk!
Gu Seong-baek pointed at the food waste container with his left hand and spoke.
"Who is inside that? Who are you trying to take…"
-Ssrk!
Before he could even finish his words.
Something blurry appeared behind Gu Seong-baek and tried to behead him in an instant.
It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un wearing the human skin mask.
Mok Gyeong-un, who utilized the Brilliant Water Crossing Steps for high-speed movement in the instant So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha blocked Gu Seong-baek's blade strike, targeted his back.
However,
-Pak! Chaaaaeng!
Gu Seong-baek blocked Mok Gyeong-un's sword without even looking back, moving his blade behind him.
'Blocking it without even giving a glance?'
This wasn't the end.
The moment Gu Seong-baek's blade and the sword clashed,
-Paaang!
Due to the strong rebound, Mok Gyeong-un's body was pushed back nearly ten steps.
-Chrrrrrrr!
Mok Gyeong-un's pushed back sword trembled severely.
Then, cracks soon appeared on it.
-Crrrk!
'A regular sword can't withstand it.'
He had brought one belonging to an Embroidered Uniform Guard, but with a single clash, the sword's lifespan had been exhausted.
Mok Gyeong-un's eyes narrowed.
He was aware that the opponent was an extraordinarily powerful expert, but he was stronger than anyone he had ever encountered before.
It was no exaggeration to say that he had completely transcended human limits.
'This is the current pinnacle of the martial arts world…'
He had heard that there was only one Six Heavens in the Imperial Palace.
Gu Seong-baek, the Southern Pacification Commissioner.
'He's different.'
Mok Gyeong-un had met another one of the Six Heavens before.
He was the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society.
When he met the leader, his martial arts were inferior to now, and the leader himself was significantly weakened due to illness, so despite his strength, he didn't feel an overwhelming pressure.
However, a Six Heavens in peak condition was truly in a league of his own.
He had indeed reached the realm of a superhuman.
-Kssh!
At that moment, Cheong-ryeong, who was watching from above, tried to descend to where Mok Gyeong-un was.
Instantly, Gu Seong-baek slashed his left hand towards the sky.
Then, sharp Sword Intent rippled and split the empty void.
-Cheong-ryeong!
-…It's fine.
Cheong-ryeong, who had ascended even higher instead of descending, clicked her tongue.
She knew that the higher one's martial arts, the more sensitive their perception was, but she was trying to conceal her Spirit Power to the maximum and there was still some distance.
However, she didn't expect him to accurately launch Sword Intent towards her.
"Hmm."
Gu Seong-baek, who had launched the Sword Intent, raised an eyebrow and soon turned his head to speak to Mok Gyeong-un.
"Strange. It definitely felt like there was something there."
"…"
"Anyways, you're quite peculiar. You have clearly crossed the wall, but the energy I sense from you is very minimal. It's one of two things. Either you have mastered a unique energy circulation technique or you're strong enough to deceive the root."
-Pak!
As soon as those words ended, Gu Seong-baek's figure appeared right in front of Mok Gyeong-un.
-Chak!
Gu Seong-baek's Golden Dawn Moon slashed at Mok Gyeong-un's neck.
To be precise, it slashed an afterimage.
-Ssrk!
As the beheaded afterimage dispersed, Mok Gyeong-un's figure had already dug into Gu Seong-baek's right side.
Thanks to his high-speed movement, he could somewhat match Gu Seong-baek's speed.
However,
-Ssk!
Gu Seong-baek, who lightly dodged Mok Gyeong-un's Sword Intent-infused finger strike by tilting his head back without turning around, grasped Mok Gyeong-un's wrist with the Golden Silkworm Hands technique at lightning speed.
Then, he swiftly kicked Mok Gyeong-un's abdomen.
-Pok!
'Kuk.'
Mok Gyeong-un's body soared upward.
Matching that, Gu Seong-baek tried to swing his Blade Qi-infused Golden Dawn Moon at Mok Gyeong-un.
At that instant, blue Sword Qi blocked the Blade Qi Gu Seong-baek was unleashing.
No, it wasn't completely blocked as it was repelled back.
'Strong.'
The one who was repelled back was none other than So Yerin wearing a black mask.
Sensing the threat to Mok Gyeong-un, she had intervened midway and blocked the Blade Qi, but the power was so strong that she was instead repelled back.
However, that wasn't the end.
-Chak chak chak chak chak!
At that moment, Gu Seong-baek successively launched Blade Qi at them.
It was Projectile Blade Qi.
The flying blue Blade Qi was accurately targeting Mok Gyeong-un and So Yerin, who had soared upwards and been repelled back.
-Six Offices Commander!
Mok Gyeong-un's voice transmission reached So Yerin's ears.
When she looked back, Mok Gyeong-un had already extended his foot towards her.
So Yerin, who was being repelled back, hurriedly somersaulted,
-Whirrr!
She twisted her body and kicked her foot against Mok Gyeong-un's sole.
-Pang!
The bodies of the two, who had kicked each other's soles in midair, were repelled in opposite directions.
Thanks to that, the flying Projectile Blade Qi narrowly passed between them.
So Yerin, whose vigilance had heightened due to the relentless attacks, searched for Gu Seong-baek even while being repelled back.
'Where is he?'
However, Gu Seong-baek had already headed towards the food waste container, and Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint was blocking him.
'Blood Jade Hands (血玉手) 8th Move – Blood Claw Thousand Shatter (血爪千碎)!'
Raising her Blood Jade Hands to the extreme, she attacked Gu Seong-baek while unleashing the ultimate move.
Her claws tried to tear Gu Seong-baek apart with unstoppable force, but Gu Seong-baek easily blocked it with just his left hand without even moving the Golden Dawn Moon in his right hand.
-Pa pa pa pa pa pak!
'What?'
Dam Baek-ha was dumbfounded.
She didn't expect him to block the ultimate move of her energy-infused Blood Jade Hands so easily.
He wasn't employing any special techniques, but with just light footwork matching her ultimate move, he was blocking it extremely exquisitely.
Thanks to that, she clearly realized.
'This bastard… has crossed the wall of walls.'
Dam Baek-ha inwardly clicked her tongue.
Due to the Great Calamity, the older generation of the Old Martial Arts World had collapsed, so she thought such a supreme master of this level would no longer appear.
However, it seemed many things had happened during the decades she was imprisoned.
Seeing a monster like him blocking her way was proof of that.
-Pa pa pa pa pa pak!
-Urk!
Every time she clashed hands with Gu Seong-baek, she felt her insides swelling up.
As the energy was transmitted through her viscera, she felt nauseous.
Gu Seong-baek, who judged himself to be in a superior position, was raising his inner energy, and its impact was being rapidly transmitted to her.
-Grr!
Dam Baek-ha's eyes turned fierce.
'Although this one's energy has only weakened from being trapped in the underground golden prison unable to do anything, I am the Sixth Blood Saint of the Great Blood Cult.'
-Pachi! Pachi!
Blue lightning sparks erupted from Dam Baek-ha's right hand.
'Hmm?'
Sensing the manifestation of lightning power, Gu Seong-baek hurriedly blocked his face with the Golden Dawn Moon in an instant.
-Pachichichichi!
At that moment, due to the strong lightning, his body was pushed back about three steps.
'Lightning power paralyzes the energy. Then…'
Gu Seong-baek, who was being pushed back, chose not to condense his energy on the blade but to release it instead.
Employing the Blossom Connecting Branches of Justice, he raised his blade upward,
-Pachichichichi!
The lightning that was entering through the blade soon spread out into the void.
The blue flames that spread like tree roots were truly spectacular.
"Hmph."
Dam Baek-ha snorted as if annoyed.
She expected him to be able to somewhat resist lightning power since he had crossed the wall of walls, and as expected, he released it using the Blossom Connecting Branches of Justice.
His response and judgment were too fast.
It was that moment.
Mok Gyeong-un and So Yerin were rapidly rushing towards Gu Seong-baek's back using high-speed movement.
Matching this, Dam Baek-ha also tried to pressure him from the front by igniting lightning once again.
It was that exact instant.
-Pak!
Gu Seong-baek thrust his blade Golden Dawn Moon into the ground with one hand.
'Earth Shatter Wave Slashing Form!'
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha!
With the spot where he thrust the Golden Dawn Moon as the center, the ground split, and the fragments created by the splitting along with Blade Qi flew like hidden weapons towards his surroundings.
'What?'
'Oh no!'
Mok Gyeong-un, So Yerin, and Dam Baek-ha, who were trying to attack him simultaneously, hurriedly deployed defensive techniques to block the flying Blade Qi and fragments.
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha chaeng!
Although they were merely blocking, the sound of metal clashing and air exploding spread in all directions like thunderclaps.
It was so loud that it was painful to the ears.
Moreover, the surrounding palace walls and buildings were collapsing due to the repelled fragments and the aftermath.
-Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwang!
Witnessing this confrontation, Ma Ra-hyeon, Mong Mu-yak, Seop Chun, and the others were at a loss for words.
This fight had already surpassed the level they could intervene in.
If they rashly intervened trying to help, they might instead suffer severe injuries or lose their lives from a single strike unleashed by them.
"…Is this a confrontation between superhumans?"
"Damn it. To think my ankles would be caught in a place like this."
At Seop Chun's remark that was close to a lament, Mong Mu-yak let out a rough sound.
Who would have thought that a supreme master who had reached the pinnacle of the martial arts world would appear right before reaching the summit?
At that moment, Ma Ra-hyeon approached them and spoke.
"There's no point in us staying here. We won't be of any help. Now that it has come to this, we need to move while they are fighting."
"Move?"
"Yes. If we stay, we will only be a hindrance."
The two, who thought Ma Ra-hyeon's judgment was correct, soon nodded their heads.
Now that it had come to this, they had to at least avoid being a hindrance.
So they tried to abandon the remaining food waste carts and at least take the cart Holy Fire Priestess was riding in to move.
However,
-Rumble rumble rumble!
"Over there!"
"A fight is breaking out over there!"
They saw a huge crowd rushing from the direction of the southern gate of the outer palace where they had to go.
They were Embroidered Uniform Guards and the eunuchs of the Western Depot.
This wasn't the end.
-Rumble rumble rumble!
"Waaaaaah!!!"
"It's over there! Imperial Guard Secret Camp, head northwest!"
"Imperial Guard Armory Camp, block the path leading north!"
'Damn it.'
The forces capable of wielding military power within the Imperial Palace were already rushing in from all directions.
They were engaged in a confrontation intense enough to shatter the palace walls and buildings, so it would be stranger if this went unnoticed.
The complexions of the three people who were caught in a desperate situation rapidly darkened.
From the moment their ankles were caught by the supreme master of the Imperial Palace, known as the pinnacle of the Central Plains martial arts world and one of the Six Heavens, the situation had already reached a point where they couldn't escape.
'Is this the end?'
It was when they were gradually feeling despair.
Right at that moment.
-Swaaaa!
At that instant, a bizarre incident occurred.
Blood began to rise from the ground and slowly ascend into the air.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards and the eunuchs of the Western and Eastern Depots, who were rushing in, stopped in bewilderment at the horrifying phenomenon.
"What in the world is this?"
Ma Ra-hyeon touched the rising blood droplets with his hand.
The foul smell and this warm and sticky sensation were undoubtedly blood, rather than an illusion.
Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun looked at each other at this strange phenomenon.
'This is?'
They knew about this.
Because they had experienced it on that rainy day in that village.
-Swish swish swish swish swish swish swish!
The blood droplets that were rising at that time soon flowed in reverse into the air, dyeing the sky blood-red like a pouring rainstorm.
As blood dyed everything in all directions, everyone who had rushed to the vicinity couldn't hide their shock.
This literally evoked the image of hell.
What on earth was this bizarre phenomenon in broad daylight?
While that was happening, the blood that was flowing in reverse in the air swirled and condensed, and someone revealed their appearance there.
Wearing a crown and holding a pipe, it was none other than Cheong-ryeong.
-Pak!
'What the hell is that?'
Gu Seong-baek, the Southern Pacification Commissioner who was deploying a technique to deal with multiple opponents, frowned as he pulled out the Golden Dawn Moon he had thrust into the ground.
What exactly was that inhuman existence?
No matter how he looked at it, it didn't feel like a living human being.
While he was doing that, Cheong-ryeong waved her pipe.
-Swish!
-Swaaaa!
Then, around the place where they were, blood suddenly surged up like a reverse waterfall and created walls in all directions.
'Could it be?'
Looking around, Gu Seong-baek could realize that he had been cut off from the surroundings by the blood waterfall.
Even the sight and presence of the Embroidered Uniform Guards rushing from all directions were blocked.
-Step step!
Meanwhile, Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint, Mok Gyeong-un, and So Yerin were surrounding him from front and back.
-Ssk!
The Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek put the Golden Dawn Moon on his shoulder and spoke with a face that hadn't lost any composure.
"I don't know what kind of sorcery you've used, but do you think the outcome will change because of this?"
"Well, we haven't used our full power yet."
"What?"
As he was questioning back, Mok Gyeong-un soon reached out his hand somewhere.
Then,
-Kwajik!
-Ssuk!
A food waste container shattered, and two swords flew out from inside.
They were none other than Gu Yaja's demon swords, the Evil Commandment Sword and Plundering-killing Sword.
-Pak!
The moment he grasped the two demon swords in his hands, an ominous black energy began to surge from Mok Gyeong-un's entire body along with a demonic aura.
'…He was concealing his energy?'
Gu Seong-baek's eyes narrowed at the rapidly surging vicious energy.
However, that wasn't the end of it.
-Gooooo!
At some point, So Yerin's hair turned red, and the blade she was holding was dyed blood-red.
It was an extremely evil and murderous energy.
-Pachichichichi!
Behind, Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint, whose entire body was covered in blue lightning, could be seen.
At the energy of the three people that had completely changed from just a moment ago, the eyes of the Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek, who had been utterly composed, became quite serious.
290: Chapter 289: The Northern Sect Blade King (2)
Cheong-ryeong, who had manifested her spiritual body, looked up at the blood-stained sky.
When Cheong-ryeong, known as the 100-year vengeful spirit, was at the Blue Spirit level, it was nearly impossible to deploy the Ghostly Domain during the day when yang energy was abundant.
This was because the dead belonged to the world of yin.
However, as Cheong-ryeong's spiritual power approached the Indigo Spirit level, known as the apex of vengeful spirits, she could deploy the Blood Domain of the Ghostly Domain to a certain extent even during the day.
'…But it's difficult to maintain it for long.'
Due to the abundant yang energy and the wide range of the domain deployment, the spiritual power consumption was rapid.
If it were nighttime, the situation would be somewhat different, but not now.
She had to hurry.
-Ssk!
As Cheong-ryeong waved her pipe, blood hands rose from the ground, further confusing the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the eunuchs of the Eastern and Western Depots who were in disarray due to the sudden situation.
"W-what the hell is this?"
"How can something like this happen in the Imperial Palace in broad daylight?"
"Don't be confused! It's all an illusion!"
"Get a hold of yourselves!"
The commanders tried their best to boost their morale.
However, this was not a mere illusion.
The Ghostly Domain created by a vengeful spirit whose level had reached near the peak was literally a space of horror and fear.
-Paaak!
-Cha cha cha cha cha!
"Aaargh!"
"Let go! Let go of me!"
Chaos ensued due to the blood thorns and blood hands surging from all directions.
However, this would not be visible to the eyes of the four at the center of the Blood Domain.
The domain had been thoroughly isolated.
Cheong-ryeong looked at Mok Gyeong-un.
'For now, I did as you wished, Mortal. But will escaping really be possible?'
She was worried.
The opponent was a monster who had crossed the wall of walls and truly reached the Profound Realm.
No matter how much Mok Gyeong-un's demonic energy had increased to a level close to the Profound Realm, there was bound to be a difference compared to someone who had truly reached that realm.
She recalled just a moment ago.
[Cheong-ryeong, is the Ghostly Domain possible?]
[Ghostly Domain?]
[Yes. Can you temporarily restrain the Embroidered Uniform Guards rushing in with the Blood Domain and also isolate the space with that fellow?]
[…It's possible. But I can't maintain it for long due to the abundant yang energy at this time.]
[I see. We'll have to try to resolve it within that time.]
[Wait, resolve it? Weren't you asking me to isolate that monster separately in the Blood Domain for a while?]
[Yes. That's right, but including the three of us as well.]
[You?]
Cheong-ryeong stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un.
She had done as he stubbornly insisted as if he had some kind of plan.
However, the opponent was one of the Six Heavens, known as the pinnacle of the current martial arts world.
Even if they launched a joint attack against such an individual, what were the chances of winning?
-Pachichichichi!
Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint of the Nine Blood Cult, who had gained immortality and lightning power by consuming the blood of the spiritual creature known as the Dragon Demon, raised her fighting spirit to the maximum.
Even for her, who had lived for a long time, a world completely dyed in blood was bound to appear terrifying and bizarre.
However, there was something that caught her eye even more than that.
'Ah, to see that appearance again.'
What caught Dam Baek-ha's eye was So Yerin, the masked Six Offices Commander, whose hair had turned red and who was holding a blade dyed in blood.
The phenomenon of her hair turning red was none other than something that could only be achieved by the Blood Heavens Great Luo Cultivation that only the Blood Patriarch of the Blood Cult could master when reaching a certain realm.
As a devoted follower of the Blood Cult, she couldn't help but be moved by that sight.
However, that moment was short-lived.
-Ssrk!
The Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek made the first move.
His target was not the two people in front of him,
-Chak!
'I'm first?'
It was none other than herself.
The blade that flew at a tremendous speed, unfit for a large broadsword, was set to behead Dam Baek-ha in an instant.
-Pak!
She narrowly avoided it by launching her body back with lightness skills.
However, as the blade brushed past her, it didn't completely slash through but stopped midway.
-Paaak!
'What a monster.'
At this, Dam Baek-ha couldn't hide her inner astonishment.
Retracting the force midway while swinging was not easy even for masters.
Moreover,
-Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwang!
The moment Gu Seong-baek's Golden Dawn Moon stopped midway, the ground split and wind pressure erupted due to the vast true energy infused in it.
To retract such force midway, he was indeed a monster.
-Pang! Whirrr!
Gu Seong-baek, who had stopped the blade edge like that, rotated it and swung the blade in reverse, trying to target Dam Baek-ha's head once again.
Then, Dam Baek-ha lowered her body to avoid the trajectory of the blade, and,
-Pachichichichi!
She dug into Gu Seong-baek and tried to dig out his heart with her Blood Jade Hands infused with lightning, using all her strength.
However, at that moment, Gu Seong-baek lightly tilted his body to the side,
-Pak!
He grasped Dam Baek-ha's wrist and kneed upward.
-Pok! Ukk!
"Aargh!"
With a single strike, her arm bent in the opposite direction, and the broken bone pierced through her elbow and protruded out.
Enduring the pain, Dam Baek-ha tried to tear apart Gu Seong-baek's left hand grasping her wrist with her Blood Jade Hands.
However,
-Paaak!
In that state, Gu Seong-baek pulled her wrist, and her balance was shattered.
Not missing this opportunity, Gu Seong-baek released the Golden Dawn Moon he was holding and tried to pierce Dam Baek-ha's face with a Blade Qi created with his bare hands.
'Oh no!'
But at that instant, a blood-dyed sword tried to slash Gu Seong-baek's right arm.
It was So Yerin.
Unable to avoid it, Gu Seong-baek released Dam Baek-ha's wrist he was holding and retreated nearly six steps in an instant with graceful lightness skills.
-Pa pa pa pa pa pak!
As he tried to create distance, So Yerin chased after him, not wanting to miss the chance, and unleashed an ultimate move.
'3rd Move – Hidden Fish Form Sword!'
The sword initiated a transformation, and its trajectory wavered like a soft willow branch, simultaneously targeting seven vital points on Gu Seong-baek's upper body.
-Swa swa swa swa swa swa!
However, Gu Seong-baek surprisingly avoided her sword by moving only his upper body.
Even in the midst of that, he made a gesture as if pulling his hand,
-Pak!
He grabbed the Golden Dawn Moon with Empty Hand Interception, and in an instant, he tried to split So Yerin in half.
Faced with his tremendously tyrannical blade strike, So Yerin hurriedly raised her inner energy to the 10th level and lifted her sword to block it.
-Chaaaaaeng!
"Kuk!"
However, So Yerin, who was inferior in inner energy, was pushed back while coughing up blood.
-Chrrrrr!
'I shall slash you like this.'
Gu Seong-baek, who was aware that he was far superior in inner energy, pushed So Yerin back even more strongly, intending to overwhelm her with this.
-Chrrrrrrr!
'2nd Move – Diving Clam Sword.'
At that moment, So Yerin, who was being pushed back, suddenly bent her knees and kicked the ground, explosively pushing back Gu Seong-baek's Golden Dawn Moon and launching a counterattack sword strike.
-Chaeng!
'Using my own force?'
Interest glinted in Gu Seong-baek's eyes.
It was the first time he had seen a sword strike that utilized his own tyrannical momentum with the Blossom Connecting Branches of Justice.
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha!
As the invigorated sword energy rushed in like crazy, Gu Seong-baek also countered it.
The clash of their sword and blade sent blue sparks and air-splitting sounds spreading in all directions.
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha chaeng!
In an instant, they clashed about eight moves.
-Gasp!
Gu Seong-baek hurriedly lowered his head.
As soon as he lowered his head, the Evil Commandment Sword covered in black energy brushed past his hair on the back of his head.
Along with that, So Yerin also had to retreat back while deploying footwork.
Otherwise, the sword Gu Seong-baek had avoided might have pierced her instead.
Moreover,
-Pak!
Mok Gyeong-un's sword wasn't the end of it.
'!?'
Gu Seong-baek, who had lowered his head in an instant to avoid the sword, had his pupils tremble for a moment at another sword flying from the left.
This wasn't simply swinging a sword with the opposite hand.
Different sword strikes were being unleashed simultaneously.
The Moonless Void Sword strike was unleashed with the right hand, while the Demonic Sword strike was unleashed with the left hand.
'Unleashing completely different sword strikes with both hands?'
Putting aside the fact that both sword strikes were supreme, how did he master such a unique technique?
Even he, who had crossed the wall of walls, couldn't do this.
Gu Seong-baek couldn't help but inwardly admire it.
-Pak!
This time, judging that he couldn't avoid it or do anything else, Gu Seong-baek stabbed the Golden Dawn Moon into the ground, using it as a support to twist his body.
-Chak!
The blade of the demon sword Plundering-killing Sword slightly brushed Gu Seong-baek's left shoulder.
Along with the burning sensation, he felt the demonic energy penetrating the brushed area.
'Demonic energy?'
He felt as if the demonic energy was further aggravating the wound.
Sensing this strange discomfort, Gu Seong-baek hurriedly slashed off the skin of the brushed area himself.
-Chak!
At the same time, he launched his body back to avoid the sword strikes unleashed by Mok Gyeong-un.
-Pa pa pa pak!
He consecutively somersaulted four times in the air to create distance.
Not wanting to miss this opportunity, the three of them launched their bodies towards Gu Seong-baek.
Then, Gu Seong-baek, while somersaulting, rotated his body and scattered Projectile Blade Qi created with both hands to prevent the three from approaching.
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha!
Mok Gyeong-un, So Yerin, and Dam Baek-ha likewise blocked the flying Blade Qi with Sword Qi and Claw Qi.
However, even if it was the same Qi, there was a difference in the true energy infused, so they were inevitably pushed back.
-Cha cha cha cha cha chaeng!
-Chrrrrrrr!
This was the case for So Yerin, whose energy had greatly increased due to the Blood Heavens Great Luo Cultivation, and it was the same for Dam Baek-ha, who utilized the energy of the spiritual creature's power, lightning.
The true energy of Gu Seong-baek, who had crossed the wall of walls, was different in its strength.
However, there was one person who broke through his attack and entered.
It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.
-Cha cha cha cha cha chang!
With the demon sword Plundering-killing Sword held in his left hand, Mok Gyeong-un deflected the flying Blade Qi in reverse using the profound principle of the Scripture of Transferring True Qi and advanced towards Gu Seong-baek with unstoppable momentum.
'This fellow, his inner energy is higher than the other two.'
Gu Seong-baek also sensed this, and he finally stopped rotating and made a gesture of waving his hand.
-Ssk!
-Be careful!
At So Yerin's voice transmission ringing in his ears, Mok Gyeong-un, who was pushing forward, kicked the ground twice.
This was the Wind God Steps he had secretly learned from Ma Ra-hyeon.
-Ssrrk!
Mok Gyeong-un's figure split into two left and right.
-Ssk!
And between them, the Golden Dawn Moon flew and passed through.
He thought Gu Seong-baek had pulled the blade with Empty Hand Interception, but soon, the Golden Dawn Moon flew like lightning towards one of the split Mok Gyeong-un figures.
-Chak!
'Blade Control Technique?'
It was none other than the Blade Control Technique.
It was a technique that could only be unleashed by those who had crossed the wall of walls, also known as the Qi Blade Control Technique.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un reached out his hand towards the blade.
-Ssk!
If he could interfere with the connected true energy, he could disrupt the Blade Control Technique.
He had already tried it once against the Qi Sword Control Technique of the Heaven and Earth Society Leader.
So, he tried to disperse the connection of true energy using the Ritual of Binding of the Eight Thought-Shattering Techniques.
However,
-Woooong!
As the Qi Blade Control gathered energy, blue Qi was infused into it.
'!?'
The energy that was trying to disperse further condensed, and the interference failed.
Not stopping there, the blade stained with Qi flew as if it were alive and unleashed a tyrannical blade strike towards Mok Gyeong-un, slashing his figure.
-Chak!
As one of the split images disappeared, Gu Seong-baek moved his hand.
'You're next.'
Then, the Golden Dawn Moon flew towards the remaining Mok Gyeong-un.
-Ssk!
It was so fast that it seemed like a streak of lightning rushing in.
However, at that moment,
-Pachichichichichik!
Lightning surged upward, and the Golden Dawn Moon flying due to the Qi Blade Control was deflected upward.
Beneath it, Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint was stretching her hands upward.
'Her arm?'
Interest glinted in Gu Seong-baek's eyes.
Dam Baek-ha's elbow, which had been broken with the bone piercing through the flesh and protruding out, had somehow healed.
'Annoying. Is it the power of immortality?'
Gu Seong-baek clicked his tongue at her tremendous regenerative ability.
Soon, the Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek, who had created distance from the three, gathered his Golden Dawn Moon that had soared due to the lightning with his true energy.
-Ssk! Pak!
Holding the Golden Dawn Moon, Gu Seong-baek looked at the three in turn and spoke.
"Although it's the Emperor's order, I set out with a light heart, but it seems that's not possible."
"Then it would be appreciated if you just stepped back."
At Mok Gyeong-un's sarcastic remark, Gu Seong-baek chuckled.
Then, he thrust the Golden Dawn Moon into the ground and spoke.
-Puk!
"I have my position, so that's impossible. Besides, it's not often I get the chance to face three martial artists close to the Profound Realm simultaneously."
-Gooooo!
It was the moment those words ended.
Gu Seong-baek's energy, raised to the 10th level of inner energy, soared to an incomparable level compared to before.
At his tremendous momentum, the vigilance in the eyes of the three further heightened.
The Northern Blade King Gu Seong-baek, one of the Six Heavens who had been holding back some of his power until now, was about to use his full strength.
291: Chapter 290: The Northern Sect Blade King (3)
The energy Gu Seong-baek raised with his inner energy at the 10th level was incredibly sharp, as if it would envelop flesh, and just by exuding it, it even created a whirlwind of true energy in all directions.
At his tremendous momentum, the eyes of the three people were further colored with vigilance.
"Then let's start again."
-Pak!
With those words, Gu Seong-baek struck the blade body of the Golden Dawn Moon that was thrust into the ground with his palm.
Then, the wide blade body of the Golden Dawn Moon cracked into three sections.
Everyone was puzzled by his sudden action.
But at that moment, when Gu Seong-baek stamped his foot towards the ground,
-Kwang!
The edge of the Golden Dawn Moon's blade body that was thrust into the ground split into three and floated upward.
'The blade split?'
Surprisingly, the Golden Dawn Moon was an abnormal weapon in which three blades were combined into one.
As Gu Seong-baek drew a line with his hand, the Golden Dawn Moon that had split into three and floated began to revolve around him as if swimming.
Seeing this sight, Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint clicked her tongue.
'To unleash the Qi Blade Control Technique not with one blade, but with three blades… He has truly reached the pinnacle in manipulating true energy.'
She couldn't help but admire him, even if he was an enemy.
It could be said that just unleashing the Qi Blade Control Technique with a single weapon alone consumed a great deal of true energy and mental strength.
However, Gu Seong-baek was displaying the Qi Blade Control with three blades.
Even during the Old Martial Arts World era when she roamed, it was extremely rare for someone to reach that level of mastery with blades.
It was that moment.
-Swish swish swish swish swish!
Gu Seong-baek, who had created a circular formation with the Qi Blade Control by rapidly revolving the three blades of the Golden Dawn Moon around him, launched his body towards them.
-Pat!
Mok Gyeong-un, Dam Baek-ha, and So Yerin moved accordingly.
Judging that the three blades of the Qi Blade Control revolving around Gu Seong-baek were unusual, they maintained their distance without hastily closing in.
Even Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint, who had the deepest experience and knowledge among the three, had never heard of a supreme master at the level of a great sage unleashing the Qi Blade Control in this manner.
'What the hell is it?'
It was an instant of puzzlement.
"If you won't come, I'll go to you."
-Ssrk!
At that moment, Gu Seong-baek's figure blurred.
His blurred figure reached in front of them in the blink of an eye.
Gu Seong-baek, who had instantly closed the distance, reached out his hand towards So Yerin, who was at the forefront.
-Cha cha chak!
Then, the three revolving blades of the Qi Blade Control intricately interlocked and created a dazzling trajectory.
'What?'
It was as if three supreme masters were launching a joint attack.
If they were to hold the blades directly and launch a joint attack, they would inevitably have to maintain a distance from each other to prevent clashing.
However, that was not the case with the three blades of the Qi Blade Control.
Since there was no risk of clashing with each other, the trajectories of the blades could be narrowed, allowing for a more precise combination.
'There's no gap.'
Unable to find any openings in the joint attack unleashed by the three blades of the Qi Blade Control, So Yerin thought she had no choice but to block it at once.
So, she firmly stamped her foot.
-Kwang!
In that state, So Yerin pulled her sword and thrust it forward.
'True Chasing and Turning Sword!'
Then, a whirlwind of Sword Intent arose from the tip of the sword and clashed with the joint attack created by the three blades of the Qi Blade Control.
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha chaeng!
As the ultimate moves fiercely collided, a tearing metallic sound along with blue sparks scattered in all directions.
The two ultimate moves that clashed head-on seemed to form a stalemate at a glance.
However, since she was inferior in inner energy, So Yerin's feet were gradually being pushed back.
-Chrrrrr!
But there was no way the other two would just stand by and watch this.
Mok Gyeong-un and Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint tried to take advantage of the gap while narrowing their bodies to the left and right, aiming for Gu Seong-baek's opening as he unleashed the Qi Blade Control.
However, this was a trap.
-Ssk!
Gu Seong-baek's fingers moved slightly.
At that moment,
-Cha cha chak!
-Gasp!
Mok Gyeong-un, who was unleashing a sword strike, hurriedly twisted his body and pulled back.
-Chak!
In an instant, something sharp brushed past his neck by a hair's breadth.
It was none other than one of the three Golden Dawn Moon blades.
-Puk!
"Ugh!"
Unlike Mok Gyeong-un, who narrowly avoided it and only had a slight cut on the side of his neck, one of the Golden Dawn Moon blades pierced Dam Baek-ha's thigh.
She also somehow avoided one of the Golden Dawn Moon blades that flew at her by surprise.
However, she couldn't avoid the other blade that followed.
'This won't do.'
But Gu Seong-baek wasn't satisfied with this.
The one Gu Seong-baek thought he should kill first was none other than Dam Baek-ha.
It was because of her marvelous recovery ability that was close to super-regeneration.
-Pak!
Gu Seong-baek chased after Dam Baek-ha, whose figure was disturbed due to her pierced thigh, grabbed one of the Golden Dawn Moon blades, and tried to behead her.
Even if she had achieved immortality, he didn't think her life would continue if her head was cut off.
-Pachichichik!
To keep Gu Seong-baek in check, Dam Baek-ha unleashed the claw force of her Blood Jade Hands infused with lightning power.
However, Gu Seong-baek lightly slashed it with Blade Qi, and,
-Chak!
He tried to behead her as well.
The blade of the Golden Dawn Moon was heading towards her neck without hesitation.
-Chaeng!
Mok Gyeong-un slashed down with the Plundering-killing Sword and kicked Dam Baek-ha to the side, interrupting Gu Seong-baek's blade.
-Pok!
Thanks to that, the path of the blade deviated, and Dam Baek-ha was able to avoid being beheaded.
Gu Seong-baek, whose attempt to kill Dam Baek-ha was thwarted, immediately reached out his left hand towards Mok Gyeong-un.
Then, two of the Golden Dawn Moon blades flew towards Mok Gyeong-un.
-Cha cha cha cha chaeng!
Mok Gyeong-un swung the demon swords Evil Commandment Sword and Plundering-killing Sword and blocked the two Golden Dawn Moon blades.
As the two Golden Dawn Moon blades were engaged like this, Dam Baek-ha and So Yerin didn't miss this opportunity and unleashed their ultimate moves towards Gu Seong-baek.
In response, Gu Seong-baek increased the size of the Blade Qi to over five zhang and simultaneously repelled them.
-Chaaaaaang!
As the two were pushed back, Gu Seong-baek immediately created distance and waved his hand.
Then, the two Golden Dawn Moon blades that were confronting Mok Gyeong-un were recalled back to him.
Gu Seong-baek shouted at them.
"Give up on killing one at a time."
With those words, the moment Gu Seong-baek reached out his hand, the three Golden Dawn Moon blades crossed and rotated with tremendous momentum, flying towards them.
The force of the whirlwind created by the three Qi-infused blades,
-Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwang!
It caused the blood that had pooled on the ground due to the Blood Domain to disappear and left a huge impact on the ground.
If one were to be hit properly even once, their body would be torn to shreds and disappear.
However, the problem was that the power of these Golden Dawn Moon blades was the ultimate move of the Qi Blade Control, so it would continue endlessly unless Gu Seong-baek stopped.
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha!
The whirlwind of the Qi Blade Control rotating in a blue light flew towards them as if a dragon was striding through the air.
'The power is unbelievable.'
Dam Baek-ha unconsciously swallowed her saliva.
Then, So Yerin's voice reached her ears.
It wasn't just her.
So Yerin's voice transmission also reached Mok Gyeong-un's ears.
-Young master. We will block that. When an opening is created, aim for the Southern Pacification Commissioner with the profound principle of unification that overwhelmed me before.
-Pat!
It was the moment those words ended.
As So Yerin took the lead and launched her body, Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint followed.
The two seemed to be heading to collide head-on with the three blades of the Qi Blade Control that flew like a dragon.
'Foolish.'
Gu Seong-baek chuckled and soon brought his hands together.
And when he reached out towards them, the rotational force intensified, and the blue dragon became even more colossal.
The surroundings were on the verge of being split by the sharp wind pressure of the Sword Intent due to the tremendous momentum.
-Crack crack crack crack!
-Grip!
So Yerin tightly gripped her sword.
Then, she consecutively stamped the ground.
'Wind Shadow Eight Types!'
At that moment, the wind rose, and her figure blurred, splitting into not two, but eight afterimages.
'!?'
Seeing that, Gu Seong-baek frowned.
Afterimages were ultimately the result of high-speed movement, so if the figure split into eight, just how fast was she moving?
-Pa pa pa pa pa pa pak!
So Yerin's figure, split into eight like that, rushed towards the blue Qi Blade Control dragon.
Then, So Yerin's eight split afterimages spread out in each direction and stamped their feet on the ground.
-Kwang!
The eight afterimages of So Yerin, who had stamped their feet, simultaneously pulled their swords and thrust them out.
Then, the whirlwind of red Sword Energy created from her swords surged towards the blue dragon.
The red whirlwinds surging from eight directions became like a huge wind net, pressuring the blue Qi Blade Control dragon.
-Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha!
Thanks to that, the dragon, whose momentum was bound, couldn't move an inch.
This wasn't the end.
"Haaaaaah!"
-Pachichichichichik!
Dam Baek-ha, who had leaped high towards the whirlwind of the three Blade Qi bound by the red whirlwind net, unleashed a massive Penetrating Force Qi infused with the essence of her Blood Jade Hands and all her lightning power.
Lightning power possessed the properties of rigidity and paralysis.
As the Penetrating Force Qi of lightning struck the trapped Qi Blade Control dragon, it gradually began to lose its rotating force.
'Now.'
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un, who had been watching for an opportunity, launched his body.
He gathered the twenty-four sword techniques into one and combined their power into a single point, aiming for his heart.
-Gasp!
Gu Seong-baek's gaze, who had been concentrating on controlling the Qi Blade Control, hurriedly turned.
Gu Seong-baek's pupils trembled.
The moment he saw the unified sword flying towards him at a single point, he could instinctively sense it.
'How can there be such a sword?'
It was unbelievable.
This single sword strike Mok Gyeong-un was currently unleashing was a realm that even he, who had crossed the wall of walls, had not yet reached.
What the hell was going on?
In an instant, Gu Seong-baek's mind became complicated.
The ultimate move of the Qi Blade Control unleashed with the three Golden Dawn Moon blades consumed a tremendous amount of true energy and mental strength.
The moment he released the force he had been maintaining, the impact would come rushing in.
-Grit!
However, there was no time to think about that impact.
As Gu Seong-baek released the force he had been maintaining for the ultimate move, he twisted his body.
At that moment,
-Chaaaaaang!
A black line brushed past him in the air.
Mok Gyeong-un appeared where it had brushed past.
-Ssrk!
Along with that, the blue whirlwind dragon formed by the Qi Blade Control that had been set to devastate the surroundings had disappeared.
At this, So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha, who had barely held it back and exhausted most of their true energy, simultaneously looked towards Mok Gyeong-un.
"Haa… haa…"
'Did it succeed?'
Then, they looked at the Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek.
He was staggering while holding his chest with both hands. Had the unified power penetrated his heart?
-Clang!
Meanwhile, Mok Gyeong-un dropped the Plundering-killing Sword he was holding in his left hand.
Then, blood dripped from his left hand.
-Drip drip!
Mok Gyeong-un looked at his shoulder.
His shoulder was half slashed, and if a little more force had been applied, he would have lost one of his arms.
Seeing this, So Yerin wondered if the single sword strike that had gathered his power had failed.
However, the staggering Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek soon knelt on one knee, and,
-Splat!
His entire left hand had been severed, and blood was gushing out.
'!!!!!!'
It was a completely unexpected outcome.
This was due to Gu Seong-baek's judgment.
If it hadn't been in the midst of unleashing the ultimate move, he might have been able to avoid it or do something about it. However, Gu Seong-baek, who had suffered internal injuries due to the impact of retracting his true energy, was paralyzed for an instant.
And in that instant of paralysis, a single sword strike with unified power aimed at his heart.
Gu Seong-baek, who believed he couldn't block this unified power without any damage, made a choice.
It was to accept the sacrifice.
He concentrated all his energy on his left palm to block his heart and tried to slash Mok Gyeong-un's shoulder in an instant to somehow reduce the unified power.
This was the result of doing everything he could.
"Huu… huu."
Gu Seong-baek, who had lost his left hand along with internal injuries, quickly regulated his breathing and circulated his energy.
Although he was injured, it wasn't a fatal wound.
If he controlled his internal energy a bit, he could still fight.
It was that moment.
-Crack crack crack crack crack!
The blood-red sky cracked, and the Blood Domain that had been overturning the surroundings disappeared.
Cheong-ryeong, who was in the air, muttered with a fatigued expression.
-I've reached my limit.
Maintaining such a wide-ranging Ghostly Domain during the day, not at night, was her limit as well.
"Huh?"
"I-it's become bright."
-Murmur murmur!
As the Ghostly Domain was released, the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the eunuchs of the Eastern and Western Depots, who had been in chaos and confusion, looked around in a daze.
Then, the commanders who discovered the Southern Pacification Commissioner, Mok Gyeong-un, So Yerin, and Dam Baek-ha in the middle of the devastated area shouted.
"Capture them! Capture them!"
At this, the Embroidered Uniform Guards pulled themselves together and ran.
So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha, who had exhausted most of their energy, had darkened complexions at the sight of the numerous warriors rushing in from all directions.
With their remaining energy, it might be difficult to face all of them along with the Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek, who, although injured, was still formidable.
As if reading this atmosphere, Gu Seong-baek opened his mouth.
"You absolutely cannot escape. Surrender."
At his words, Mok Gyeong-un picked up the dropped Plundering-killing Sword with his other hand and said.
"We don't know that yet."
"You fought splendidly, but you are exhausted. On the other hand, even if I am injured, once I recover the flow of my internal energy, the situation will return to how it was."
"Yes, that's why we're going to leave now."
"What?"
It was that moment.
"Heum-won."
Mok Gyeong-un looked up and called out something.
It was that exact instant.
Despite the Blood Domain being shattered, the ground suddenly darkened, and the sound of flapping along with gusts of wind abruptly swept through.
At this, everyone looked up in surprise.
"W-what is that?"
"A bird? What kind of bird is that big?"
The thing descending was an incredibly huge bird.
However, it had a grotesque appearance that was vastly different from an ordinary bird.
With the upper body of a bird and the lower body of a hornet with a stinger, this was none other than the Demonic Beast Heum-won.
Heum-won was the only Imae Mangryang that Mok Gyeong-un had tamed as his spirit beast.
"Get on the cart!"
At Mok Gyeong-un's shout, So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha, who were equally dumbfounded, reflexively launched their bodies towards the food waste cart.
Mong Mu-yak, Seop Chun, and Ma Ra-hyeon, who had already heard Mok Gyeong-un's instructions and were waiting in puzzlement while excluding the food waste container with Holy Fire Priestess inside, also lost their words at the sight of the colossal Heum-won.
'When the hell did he tame something like this?'
While they were marveling like that, So Yerin, Dam Baek-ha, and then Mok Gyeong-un had already boarded the cart.
Then, as if it had been waiting, the descending Heum-won snatched the cart with its huge talons.
-Flap flap!
Heum-won, who had snatched the cart like that, tried to take off into the sky again.
At this, the commanders, who had been momentarily stunned by Heum-won's appearance, soon shouted at the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
"We can't let them go! Shoot arrows!"
"We mustn't let them escape!"
At that command, the Embroidered Uniform Guards who had bows hurriedly fired arrows.
However, when Heum-won flapped its wings, the arrows were instead deflected by the tremendous wind pressure.
-Pa pa pa pa pa pak!
"D-dodge!"
"Aaargh!"
An incident occurred where those who had been firing arrows were instead injured by the arrows flying back.
Heum-won had flown up about twenty zhang like that.
"Kuk!"
The Southern Pacification Commissioner Gu Seong-baek spat out a clump of black blood.
He had regained the flow within his body through energy circulation.
Having quickly recovered his body, he stood up and immediately unleashed his inner energy, once again deploying the Qi Blade Control with the three Golden Dawn Moon blades.
"You think I'll let you go!"
With a shout, Gu Seong-baek utilized the Bow Body Projectile Shadow technique to soar into the sky using elasticity.
Seeing him flying up in an instant, So Yerin tried to draw her sword.
To her, Mok Gyeong-un said.
"Aaah. It seems the message was delivered."
"What do you…"
-Gasp!
At that moment, So Yerin looked somewhere with surprised eyes.
It wasn't just her.
Dam Baek-ha the Sixth Blood Saint also widened her eyes and looked in a certain direction of the Imperial Palace.
-Gooooo!
From there, an extremely ominous and evil energy was surging, and the energy was so strong that they couldn't help but have their gazes drawn to it.
At that time, the pupils of Gu Seong-baek, who had been soaring into the air with the Bow Body Projectile Shadow, trembled violently.
'Your Majesty?'
He also sensed this ominous energy, just like them.
However, the place where it was emanating from was none other than where His Majesty the Emperor was.
At this, Gu Seong-baek, without a moment's hesitation, used the Golden Dawn Moon blades he was deploying with the Qi Blade Control in midair as a support and once again unleashed the Bow Body Projectile Shadow.
-Pang!
Seeing Gu Seong-baek change direction in midair and head towards that place, everyone plopped down and let out a sigh of relief.
What on earth was happening?
In the direction of the inner palace, far from where they were.
-Gooooo!
In a palace where people rarely passed by, there was a being blatantly exuding an ominous energy.
The peerless beauty in splendid attire was none other than the concubine Ho, no, the Hundred-Faced King, Golden Nine-Tailed Fox.
Openly revealing her energy, she lifted the corners of her mouth and muttered.
"You owe me one, Cheonma (Heavenly Demon)."