Chapter 35

Chapter 35

* * *

Crash-!

Ma Dok-jin's flying body smashed through several trees and crashed into the ground. If he had been an ordinary person, his entire body would have been shattered to pieces.

However, his breath of life was still clearly attached.

'Wh-what on earth did I just see…?'

Gwon Mu-jin, who had fainted and then woken up upon feeling the impact a moment ago, opened his eyes wide.

His gaze was directed toward Dan Woo-hyun, who stood blankly. He had expected him to be strong since they first met, but to treat him like a toy and even blow Ma Dok-jin away?

'Just what on earth is that man's identity?'

Gwon Mu-jin was not the only one who could not contain his astonishment. Namgung So-hye also watched the scene, her entire body trembling.

Far from a fight between peak masters, it was nothing more and nothing less than one-sided violence.

Namgung So-hye looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a trembling gaze.

He moved toward the fallen Ma Dok-jin.

"Argh…"

Groaning, Ma Dok-jin slowly stood up. Staggering heavily, he barely managed to steady his body, which seemed as if it would fall over several times.

His legs trembled violently, as if he did not even have the strength to stand.

"This cannot be! To think I was pushed back in strength!"

Ma Dok-jin could not believe this situation at all. He admitted that the opponent was strong.

Since there were as many martial artists in the world as grains of sand, it was only natural that there were those stronger than him.

Because of that, from the moment his realm seemed to stagnate, he had built up his strength.

He had built up the strength to swing this great blade as quickly as a tree branch.

However, he was completely outmatched by the man standing before his eyes.

Strength, destructive power, and the pride he could boast of were all crushed to pieces.

Without even thinking of wiping the blood flowing down his forehead, he raised his great blade once more toward Dan Woo-hyun.

"This is impossible! It makes no sense!"

"Foolish guy."

Dan Woo-hyun let out a dry laugh.

His spirit was decent, but there were walls that could not be overcome by spirit alone.

No matter what Ma Dok-jin did, he could not defeat him.

That was the current gap between the two.

"A great blade is meant to move heavily and simply. Increasing physical strength to pursue speed was a decent idea, but it was a method that killed the advantages of a great blade. Because you focused on quickness, your full strength was not entirely contained in the attacks…"

Dan Woo-hyun slightly raised his sword, wearing a mocking smile.

A great blade is originally not a weapon to pursue speed, but to crush the opponent in a single blow.

However, Ma Dok-jin pursued speed. He built up his physical strength to handle the great blade at will, and contained destructive power within that quickness.

Novices could not withstand that onslaught and had no choice but to lose.

However, what if they were masters who reached a certain level?

The situation changed completely.

In the end, his speed could not match a sword, and his destructive power could not match a normal great blade, so if one kept their wits about them even slightly, they could easily win.

"What are you babbling about, you bastard!"

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun took a stance and took a step forward.

Swish-!

"…?!"

His figure could not be seen. No, just when he thought he could not see him, he had already reappeared in front of his eyes.

Surprised, he hurriedly raised his great blade, and a sword blade that seemed to hold a storm approached.

Boom-!

A huge roar shook the earth, and Ma Dok-jin's body, unable to even let out a scream, flew away helplessly.

His body, which flew away while breaking countless bushes and trees, was no longer visible.

Dan Woo-hyun lightly retrieved the sword and threw it in front of Namgung So-hye. The moment the first move clashed, the fight was already over.

"Did you learn martial arts?"

"I never said I couldn't."

Dan Woo-hyun replied playfully to Namgung So-hye, who spoke while trembling.

Thinking about it quietly, he was right.

Because until now, Dan Woo-hyun had never once said that he did not learn martial arts.

"Could you also be from the Black Way Association?"

"Do not pay attention to useless things. In this world, there are times when one must pretend not to see even if they saw, and pretend not to hear even if they heard."

"Ugh…"

Because of Dan Woo-hyun's fierce gaze, Namgung So-hye felt as if her breath were catching and swallowed her saliva.

"Still, you were lucky. To not die against that man even with such prideful swordsmanship, is this also not heavenly luck?"

"Prideful…"

She had heard a similar thing when they first met.

Namgung So-hye thought until now that she did not have any pride, but in Dan Woo-hyun's eyes, something she did not know seemed to be visible.

That made her extremely resentful, but she could not bring herself to open her mouth.

It was because Dan Woo-hyun had already turned his back and was disappearing.

"Argh…!"

Gwon Mu-jin, who had been splayed out among the bushes, stood up from his spot. Ma Dok-jin was defeated. Moreover, he met a truly miserable defeat.

Although they said there were many strong people in the world, who could make Ma Dok-jin like that?

They would have to be at least of the Five Emperors, Seven Stars, and Ten Venerables.

However, their ages were by no means young.

If so, it meant that man had already reached such a realm at a young age.

The more he thought about it, the more his entire body trembled.

Someone who must never be made an enemy.

Because of that, someone who was all the more terrifying.

And so…

'Someone who can lift me up even higher!'

Gwon Mu-jin stood up with difficulty and began to chase after Dan Woo-hyun. It was difficult for him to even walk, but even so, he struggled not to lose track of him.

Walking ahead, Dan Woo-hyun frowned and stopped.

"Why are you following me?"

"Argh… Please allow me to stay by your side."

"I refuse."

Dan Woo-hyun waved his hand.

That created a huge gust of wind and blew Gwon Mu-jin's body away. Pushed back by the strong wind, he rolled on the ground and groaned.

To think that just a wave of his hand carried enough power to blow a person away?

'Perhaps an even greater master than I thought!'

Having finished his thoughts, Gwon Mu-jin moved again. Gritting his teeth, he stood up, and barely managing to steady his staggering body, he walked toward Dan Woo-hyun.

Gwon Mu-jin, arriving in front of him who was still standing blankly, collapsed with a thud! Kneeling so harshly that his knees could break, he bowed his head.

"What is the meaning of this?"

A fierce sound came from the mouth of Dan Woo-hyun, who narrowed his eyes. As if revealing that he was displeased, even the surrounding air turned sharp.

They pierced Gwon Mu-jin's entire body like awls.

Tingling-!

A massive power was felt, to the point where it was impossible to even swallow a breath.

It was a terrifying power, to the point where it was difficult to even stand in front of him. Even his voice did not come out properly, but despite that, Gwon Mu-jin squeezed out all his strength and opened his mouth.

"Please take me with you!"

"I said I refuse."

At the flat refusal, Gwon Mu-jin felt a surge of emotion.

If he was going to be like this, why did he save him and bring him all the way here to show him hope!

If he had seen nothing instead, he might have just followed Ma Dok-jin as usual without thinking about anything.

"If you will not accept me, then rather kill m-!"

Thud-!

The sensation of something plunging deep into his abdomen was surely a pain from which an ordinary person had no choice but to die.

"Cough…!"

Gwon Mu-jin gritted his teeth at the sensation of his breath stopping. However, no matter how much he wanted to keep his senses, his body did not give him any help.

His vision blurred, and the strength drained completely from his body.

'Damn it…!'

Thud-!

In an instant, his consciousness cut off, and he collapsed just like that.

"Hmm…"

Dan Woo-hyun took in all those moments with his eyes.

He was quite something. Reaching a considerable realm at a young age was one thing, but the resentment harbored in his eyes was as if he were looking at his past self.

It was a gaze that made him recall the time when he would do anything to rise to the top.

Having the pride of a martial artist was good, but…

'It is dangerous.'

Dan Woo-hyun knew.

That those with such a gaze were all the more dangerous.

Because those who had the will to rise no matter what never looked at their surroundings.

Of course, he had not reached that level right now.

It just meant there was a strong possibility of it.

"If he cannot control his mind, he will not go far."

Nothing could be achieved by simply pursuing strength.

If he did not realize that, this person would eventually be seized by desire and walk a path he should not walk. Since he possessed this much talent, it was also expected that the Murim would be turned upside down.

Should I just kill him now?

Dan Woo-hyun slightly raised his hand.

He thought that might perhaps be the most helpful thing for him, but soon shook his head and withdrew his hand.

Killing him was nothing, but he did not want to take a pointless life when nothing was certain.

'I am not of the Eight Immortals.'

Those who ascended to the immortal realm and always looked over the Central Plains.

If they had seen Gwon Mu-jin, they would have surely taken his life, claiming it was for the sake of the Central Plains.

But Dan Woo-hyun was not of the Eight Immortals, and he did not want to do the same thing as them.

He had no desire to protect the Central Plains, nor did he want to heavily intervene in anyone's life.

All things would just progress on their own if left to flow as they would.

Unless it took a form that caused actual harm to Dan Woo-hyun in his surroundings, it did not matter to him either way.

Dan Woo-hyun left the unconscious man alone and turned his back.

Step, step.

As he walked down the mountain path, many things came into view.

Namgung So-hye still trembling, Ma Dok-jin and Gwon Mu-jin frothed at the mouth and unconscious, Ma Dok-jin's subordinates fallen on the other side, and the corpses of the Five Swords of Hunan.

'It feels as if I am looking at the Jianghu of the past.'

Dan Woo-hyun smiled as he had such thoughts.