Chapter 495 – Heavenly Evil's Wind Blows Fiercely (2)

He was Cheok Gwan-hyeol who'd learned the World's Greatest Demon Art. At his lion's roar containing his full power, all life forms living on Mount Zhongnan vomited blood and collapsed. Whether human or animal, their brains turned to mush and lost their lives.

Those unaffected by Cheok Gwan-hyeol's lion's roar were only the soul technique masters and Ho Cheon-myeong.

Pat!

At that moment, Cheok Gwan-hyeol kicked off a tree branch and raised his body into the air. Instantly the demonic energy radiating from his body spread wide like bat wings.

Flapping wings made of demonic energy, Cheok Gwan-hyeol flew toward Ho Cheon-myeong. Watching that sight, Ho Cheon-myeong smiled.

"Your entrance is quite noisy."

"Ho Cheon-myeong!"

In midair, Cheok Gwan-hyeol called Ho Cheon-myeong and swung his hand. Then cloud-like energy arose and surged toward Ho Cheon-myeong.

Kwaaa!

Before the tidal wave of demonic energy, everything dyed black.

Trees and grass turned black then soon scattered as fine dust with 'fwish fwish' sounds. The already black sky dyed even blacker.

When the demonic energy Cheok Gwan-hyeol released reached right before his nose, Ho Cheon-myeong lightly waved his hand as if shooing a fly. Then the demonic energy that had been surging so fearfully veered around Ho Cheon-myeong and directly struck a large boulder behind.

Kwaaa!

With a roar, the house-sized boulder melted like lava. Even at that horrific sight, Ho Cheon-myeong looked at Cheok Gwan-hyeol without blinking an eye.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol slowly descended before him.

Ho Cheon-myeong looked at such Cheok Gwan-hyeol with warm eyes, like a father viewing a son returned after long.

"It's been a while, Cheok Gwan-hyeol."

"You dare smile? Looking at me."

Cheok Gwan-hyeol ground his teeth. His face was horrific like an evil spirit. Thick blood vessels bulged out on his forehead, and demon fire rippled in his eyes.

An ordinary person would fall into heart demons or have their eyeballs melt just meeting his gaze. But Ho Cheon-myeong was calmly receiving such Cheok Gwan-hyeol's fearsome gaze.

"You've grown well. Beyond expectations…"

"Shut that mouth!"

"I'm sincere. From the moment I first saw you, I knew. That you would grow into this form."

"You dare! To use such evil techniques on me."

"You've finally noticed."

"Why did you do it? Why did you plant heart demon seeds in me?"

"All because it was necessary."

"Quickly tell me the reason. Before I break that neck."

"Oh dear!"

Ho Cheon-myeong smiled emptily. At that, Cheok Gwan-hyeol showed even more hostility.

In his gaze at Ho Cheon-myeong, no reason existed. Only rage and hostility filled it.

Thud!

Cheok Gwan-hyeol stepped toward Ho Cheon-myeong.

"After killing my father so miserably, why did you leave me alive? Planting such heart demon seeds."

"Why does that reason matter? Thanks to that, didn't you live decades longer? Isn't that enough?"

"Don't spout such nonsense. Before I tear open that mouth."

"Tsk tsk! Your mouth is foul. A sect leader should know to maintain dignity in any circumstance."

"Old man!"

At Ho Cheon-myeong's continued preaching, Cheok Gwan-hyeol finally couldn't contain his anger anymore and exploded.

Kwaaa!

Heaven Encompassing Demon Art unfolded at close range.

It was Heaven Encompassing Demon Art that had never found a match. Tremendous demonic energy instantly covered Ho Cheon-myeong.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol clenched his hand. Then the demonic energy covering Ho Cheon-myeong tightened like a snare.

"I changed my mind. I won't ask reasons. Just die! Old man."

Whiiing!

Instantly the demonic energy spun like a cogwheel and crushed Ho Cheon-myeong. It was grinding him up.

There hadn't been anyone Cheok Gwan-hyeol couldn't kill using this method until now. Because of that, Cheok Gwan-hyeol was confident he could at least inflict serious injury on Ho Cheon-myeong even if he couldn't kill him.

That's when it happened.

Chwahwak!

The demonic energy spinning at fearsome speed while wrapped around Ho Cheon-myeong tore apart as if cut by scissors. And from within, Ho Cheon-myeong walked out calmly.

Ho Cheon-myeong brushed off his hands and said.

"My, what an impatient personality."

"Be quiet, old man."

Cheok Gwan-hyeol grew even more enraged and consecutively deployed techniques boasting the strongest destructive power among Heaven Encompassing Demon Art.

Kwakwakwang!

At Cheok Gwan-hyeol's attack, Mount Zhongnan was devastated.

He was strong to the point of trembling. Each time he reached out his hand, the earth flipped over and savage storms swept through. But not one of Cheok Gwan-hyeol's attacks properly struck Ho Cheon-myeong.

Ho Cheon-myeong was like a ghost.

He floated about three feet in the air and moved along the grain of air. When Cheok Gwan-hyeol's attack was fierce, he retreated back, and when Cheok Gwan-hyeol's attack stopped, he approached like a ghost without sound.

Such appearance of Ho Cheon-myeong made Cheok Gwan-hyeol's madness and rage explode even more.

"Kraaaa!"

Cheok Gwan-hyeol let out a scream and pressed Ho Cheon-myeong even more fiercely.

Hoowoong!

Instantly, change occurred at the altar where the soul technique masters gathered. The resonance sound amplified further and space began rippling.

Ho Cheon-myeong's eyes began to glisten. His eyes dyed red as if bloodshot and white teeth showed. His appearance looked strangely eerie. But Cheok Gwan-hyeol drunk on madness failed to notice that fact.

Even at that moment, Ho Cheon-myeong's voice continued.

"Heaven is truly perverse. It can never stand by and watch one individual dominate. When your father tried to dominate the martial world, it sent the Four Divine Emperors into the world, and when I try to achieve what I want, it sends Fist Demon again to interfere. At first I hated Heaven a lot. But as time passed and I aged, my thinking changed. Because I would have done the same in reversed positions. So I could understand."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Old man!"

"It's called Heaven's Net. Heaven's net is sparse but reaches everywhere. So if you commit sin, you're surely caught."

Kwang!

Ho Cheon-myeong's voice was briefly buried in the explosion. But soon Ho Cheon-myeong appeared intact and continued speaking.

"That's not just applicable to cause and effect. It applies to everything in this world."

"Shut up!"

Cheok Gwan-hyeol spat out angry shouts and deployed Heaven Encompassing Demon Art's ultimate technique.

Kukwakwakwang!

The earth flipped over. But this time too, Ho Cheon-myeong appeared intact.

Instantly Cheok Gwan-hyeol's pupils shook.

For the first time, a bewildered light rose in pupils dyed in madness. Such pupils were fixed on Ho Cheon-myeong's hand.

Perhaps feeling Cheok Gwan-hyeol's gaze, Ho Cheon-myeong raised his hand.

It was a fine hand like a woman's jade hand, without a speck of dust or a single wrinkle. It was a hand unsuited to Ho Cheon-myeong's age.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol focused on Ho Cheon-myeong's hand not just because of outer appearance. Because Ho Cheon-myeong's occasionally swung hand was cutting all his attacks strand by strand.

Even ultimate hand arts like Demon Path's Bare Hand Demon Art or Western Regions' Great Hand Seal couldn't cut his attacks so helplessly.

Though he didn't seem to be deploying special ultimate techniques or operating power, Cheok Gwan-hyeol felt intense crisis at Ho Cheon-myeong's hand that cut all his attacks.

"That is?"

"When I faced your father previously, I suddenly gained one enlightenment. This is the result of the enlightenment gained then."

"…"

"That's why I say Heaven is truly perverse. Why give me enlightenment in the fight with your father."

A slight smile curved at Ho Cheon-myeong's lips.

Instantly Cheok Gwan-hyeol felt an eerie feeling. He gritted his teeth and shouted.

"At best it's formless sword or mind sword level, right?"

"How nice if that were so. A sword transcending time and space."

"What?"

"That is, Time-Space Sword. My child! That's the insight I gained."

Ho Cheon-myeong lightly drew his hand.

Seureok!

Instantly Cheok Gwan-hyeol's eyes widened.

Everything before his eyes was splitting.

Sky, earth, even invisible time.

"…"

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's thoughts stopped briefly.

In that place where time and space were cut away, Cheok Gwan-hyeol was floating. It felt like being trapped in the vast ocean's depths.

He couldn't breathe.

Because breathing was cutting off strand by strand deep in his chest.

'What is this?'

Instantly Cheok Gwan-hyeol's eyes tore wide open.

Because he felt pain.

Amazingly, not a single wound appeared on his body. It wasn't pain felt from his body.

A more fundamental place.

His soul was wounded and crying out in pain.

"Kraaak!"

Cheok Gwan-hyeol spat out a desperate scream.

He was Cheok Gwan-hyeol who'd reached Demon God Realm. Such him wouldn't scream at mere physical pain. But the pain of his soul being cut away was different.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's mad wail echoed chillingly atop Mount Zhongnan. Ho Cheon-myeong watched such Cheok Gwan-hyeol with a smile.

The place where Cheok Gwan-hyeol screamed was precisely atop the altar made in Zhongnan Sect's ruins. While attacking Ho Cheon-myeong, he'd unknowingly stepped onto the altar.

It wasn't his will.

Ho Cheon-myeong had guided him that way.

"Now all conditions are met."

Fwahwak!

Instantly, blood fountains shot up from Cheok Gwan-hyeol's entire body's pores. The blood escaping through pores instantly oxidized and became mist.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's pupils shook as if an earthquake hit. He tried to close his pores by operating internal energy. But regardless of his will, blood continued escaping.

Hooowoong!

Instantly, the air above the altar shook with resonance sound. As if waves rippled, the transparent space began distorting.

Emotion showed for the first time in Ho Cheon-myeong's eyes that had been only calm. The madness he'd firmly suppressed until now slightly manifested.

"Finally…"

The more blood mist emanated from Cheok Gwan-hyeol's body, the more intense the resonance sound occurring above the altar became. But Cheok Gwan-hyeol didn't just bleed either. He drew up internal energy to the maximum and endured.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol struggled trying to escape from the altar, but like a butterfly caught in a spider web, he couldn't budge.

The smile on Ho Cheon-myeong's lips deepened. Because he'd already expected this level of resistance. But he didn't think Cheok Gwan-hyeol could endure that long.

The tide had already taken an irreversible flow. Everything would flow according to his will.

That's when it happened.

"What is this…"

"Ugh!"

From Mount Zhongnan's entrance, people's shocked voices were heard.

"Uninvited spectators have come. Well, no matter. Originally the more spectators, the better."

Ho Cheon-myeong wasn't surprised and turned to look at them.

There were faces he saw for the first time, and faces he'd already met once. And faces he'd really wanted to meet once.

They were precisely Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon, and Taoist Hyeon-so. Having tracked Cheok Gwan-hyeol sprinting without reason, they'd come here.

Cho Yeon-woon was receiving Bang Jin-bo's support, and Geom Yul-cheon too was standing with difficulty with Eum Yu-gyeong's help. Behind them appeared Taoist Hyeon-so carried on Myeong-gyeong's back, and Jong Ri-yeon who'd followed with Mount Hua Sect martial artists' help was also there.

They were shocked at Cheok Gwan-hyeol's appearance scattering blood mist atop the altar.

The martial prowess Cheok Gwan-hyeol showed at Sunyang Plains was truly close to heaven-shattering. He'd shown fearsome might unfazed even by the joint attack of Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon, martial artists representing Orthodox and Demon. Such Cheok Gwan-hyeol bleeding blood mist in such defenseless state was so unrealistic it felt rather like a dream.

The one who reacted first was Taoist Hyeon-so.

"Evil technique?"

Disbelief's light rose in his eyes that had been filled with mystique.

To his eyes possessing exceptional spiritual power, heavenly energy screaming and roiling was visible. Like a full-term woman giving birth after arduous pain, Heaven too was suffering difficult labor.

"This can't be!"

Heaven's energy is very thick and solid, so never shakes easily. But Mount Zhongnan's heavenly energy was tangled, twisted, and creaking.

"The great battle at Xunyang Plains weakened heavenly energy. Because of that, heavenly energy is roiling."

"You must be Hyeon-so. I heard you possess Taoism's foremost spiritual power, and indeed your reputation isn't false."

"Blood Light Death God… Ho Cheon-san, no, is it Senior Ho Cheon-myeong?"

"That's right. I am Ho Cheon-myeong. Once I was called by the alias Blood Light Death God, and also worked as Nameless One. And now as you know, I serve as Heavenly Evil Cult's Cult Leader."

"Ugh!"

"Clear and deep eyes. You're the spitting image of your master Cheon Gung-ja."

"Do you know my master?"

"How could I not? We experienced the First Orthodox-Demon War together. I'll say it now, but the one who watched his final moment was also me. So I still remember clearly."

"Is that true?"

"It is. What would I gain by lying to you? I was with him at his final moment."

At Ho Cheon-myeong's words, Taoist Hyeon-so's pupils shook wildly.

Though he'd cultivated for decades and took pride in building mental power unshaken in any circumstance, at Ho Cheon-myeong's words mentioning his long-dead master, his mental power was crumbling down.

Then Cho Yeon-woon approached and supported Taoist Hyeon-so while saying.

"It's a lie. You mustn't be shaken by his words, Hyeon-so Jin-in."

"Right! I'm fine, Yeon-woon."

"That one is Heavenly Evil Cult's Cult Leader. Who knows what honeyed words he'll use to shake you, so you must firmly guard."

"I understand."

Taoist Hyeon-so barely nodded. But his complexion was still flushed red. Because his heart had shaken that much.

Then Ho Cheon-myeong smiled and said.

"Hehe! Even telling the truth, you don't believe. That I watched Cheon Gung-ja's end is a fact that never changes. Do you know why?"

"…"

"Because the one who killed Cheon Gung-ja was precisely me."

This time, not only Taoist Hyeon-so but even Cho Yeon-woon comforting him couldn't hide his shaken expression. Because it was such shocking truth.

"Is, is it really true?"

"What would I gain by lying to you? My words are true. I killed Cheon Gung-ja."

"Why?"

Instantly Taoist Hyeon-so spat out a rage-filled cry.

Red blood vessels already lined Taoist Hyeon-so's eyes. Even decades of cultivating meditation were useless. At this moment, only rage filled Taoist Hyeon-so's heart.

Ho Cheon-myeong looked at such Taoist Hyeon-so and sneered.

"Because only he noticed the truth."

"Truth?"

"Right! Only he noticed that I secretly let Cheok Gwan-hyeol live. So I had no choice but to kill him. It doesn't matter now, but then it absolutely couldn't be known."

"Uaaaa!"

Taoist Hyeon-so wailed.

Beom-bon held his palms facing each other and raised them forward. The Arhat monks bowed their heads and covered their ears.

Beom-bon clapped his hands forcefully.

Clang!

Though he clapped his hands, it sounded like striking a bell.

The legs of Arhat monks who hadn’t prepared in advance gave out and they staggered. Jin Ja-gang also quickly covered his ears, but even so, his head became dizzy.

Beom-bon raised one hand to the sky and directed one palm toward the ground.

“I preach to the evil spirits of the mortal world. Great mercy, great compassion, transforming path of vast enlightenment. Governing precepts, governing virtue, governing the realm of sentient beings, Namo Amitabha Avalokitesvara…”

Beom-bon took a long breath, then soon a thunderous roar burst from his mouth.

“Through the fruit of three virtues, perfect enlightenment is attained!”

A tremendous roar that shook heaven and earth echoed from all directions.

Rumble rumble rumble.

Yellow Crane Tower’s pavilion rang greatly and roof tiles fell. The bricks decorating the outer walls cracked.

Shaolin absolute technique.

Great Lion’s Roar.

Perhaps because of his massive resonance chamber, the Great Lion’s Roar that burst from Beom-bon’s body was incomparable to the lion’s roar Jin Ja-gang had known before.

His legs trembled and strength drained. Internal energy seemed to scatter throughout his entire body.

Even the Arhat monks who had covered their ears couldn’t endure and sat down on the spot. Only a few Vajra monks managed to hold out.

The sound of Beom-bon’s first clap continued to ring like a temple bell.

Clang, clang, clang!

The bell sound rang inside Jin Ja-gang, continuously draining his strength.

Retch.

Jin Ja-gang vomited blood.

Clang! Clang! Clang! His head throbbed and rang with the bell sound.

Jin Ja-gang knelt on one knee.

Beom-bon shouted while forcefully raising one hand.

“Prostrate yourself!”

Beom-bon’s tremendous palm struck down at Jin Ja-gang’s legs.

Boom! If swept by that palm as big as a pot lid, his legs wouldn’t survive.

Jin Ja-gang grasped a small wick of internal energy and spread it to his four limbs and hundred meridians.

Rise of Bowing Demon Spirit! The Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit awakened and internal energy instantly filled Jin Ja-gang’s reservoir. Though internal energy scattered each time the bell sound rang inside his body, Jin Ja-gang didn’t yield. He sent the strongest flow to one foot and arm.

He stepped over Beom-bon’s swinging hand, stepped on his forearm, and threw his body backward. Then with Heaven and Earth Eight Defeats, he pulled out a long needle from his finger and concentrated all his focus to shoot it at Beom-bon’s heart.

Piercing Strand Flash Severance. A span-long needle embedded in Beom-bon’s chest.

Beom-bon quietly looked down at the long needle stuck in his kasaya.

Then he flicked it with his finger as if brushing away a flying insect.

The long needle came out without any resistance and fell.

There was only a very small hole in Beom-bon’s kasaya. A hole invisible even when looked at carefully. It was about the degree of accidentally making a wrong hole while sewing.

Tension filled Jin Ja-gang’s brow.

Piercing Strand Flash Severance didn’t work?

“Indeed. You had countermeasures for Iron Robe… So that’s how it was. That’s why you could confidently pick a fight with our temple.”

Beom-bon narrowed his eyes, looked at Jin Ja-gang, and smiled.

“Benefactor Poison Dragon’s poison has a reputation, so this humble monk cannot boast whether I can endure it. However, this humble monk is nominally the sect leader. If a sect leader falls to such trivial tricks, who would respect or fear our Shaolin?”

“If people fear the temple, would they even go near it?”

“If everything could be resolved through conversation, discord and quarrels would be hard to find in the world. Because that’s not the case, great mercy and great compassion inevitably follows with merciless karmic retribution. The world we live in is called a muddy pit for the same reason.”

“I heard the Embracing Sect educates sentient beings through conversation.”

Beom-bon answered immediately.

“That’s a lie.”

Beom-bon smiled and said.

“The path to reaching Buddhahood, not one is the same. The foolishness of sentient beings is all the same, but the ways of understanding are all different. Then how could one method lead countless sentient beings?”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Beom-bon silently, then said.

“I don’t know if I’m hearing the sermon of an upright monk or listening to the persuasive words of a cunning snake’s tongue.”

“You don’t need to distinguish. From the eyes of ignorant sentient beings, even though the world is changing, it always appears the same.”

Beom-bon showed his palm.

“Now then, try asking politely. I will not tolerate threats or rudeness. If it’s a valid question, this humble monk will do his best to answer.”

“Haven’t you heard the rumor?”

“What rumor?”

Jin Ja-gang raised one corner of his lips and smiled.

“I have no talent for responding to bullshit.”

The smile still didn’t disappear from Beom-bon’s face.

“The one not ready for conversation isn’t this humble monk, but benefactor. Didn’t you have something to ask this humble monk?”

“The one in a hurry isn’t me but the great master.”

Beom-bon’s eyes narrowed. It was phrasing that made him unable to help but ask out of curiosity even if he didn’t want to. Normally, wouldn’t Jin Ja-gang be the one in a hurry, not Beom-bon?

Beom-bon asked.

“Why is that?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“Because you must be curious how much I know.”

Beom-bon laughed aloud.

“Hehe, interesting words. However, this humble monk doesn’t like being swayed by others’ words.”

Beom-bon suddenly raised his prayer beads and commanded the Arhat monks.

“From now, nine people will go to the Zhuge Family. If the Zhuge Family cooperated with Benefactor Poison Dragon for unjust reasons, make the Zhuge Family pay the price.”

“Yes!”

Nine Arhat monks including one Vajra monk glared at Jin Ja-gang and left Yellow Crane Tower without a single complaint.

Beom-bon continued.

“Another nine people. You will find Poison Dragon’s companions around this area and drag them before me. One has learned Leper Mound’s disguise technique, so be careful.”

“Yes!”

Beom-bon looked straight at Jin Ja-gang.

Seeing Jin Ja-gang’s expression remain calm with almost no change, he praised.

“Good expression. However, now the one who becomes rushed is benefactor.”

The command didn’t end there.

Beom-bon designated one Arhat monk.

“You will run to the main temple immediately and request support from one of the elders.”

The Arhat monk listened to Beom-bon’s words with gleaming eyes.

“Tell the Bright Demon God…”

Beom-bon drew out his words as if for Jin Ja-gang to hear.

“If he kills Poison Dragon’s wife and child at Tang Family’s main estate, he will be granted freedom.”

Instantly, insane killing intent burst from Jin Ja-gang’s body. The Arhat monks surrounding Jin Ja-gang stepped back half a step.

Whizz whizz!

Materialized killing intent flew like needles countless times into the Arhat monks’ bodies. The Arhat monks raised Iron Robe.

Tick, tick, tick!

Sharp killing intent hit Iron Robe and shattered. However, scratches continuously formed on exposed faces, heads, and wrists.

Beom-bon laughed.

The killing intent Jin Ja-gang released didn’t embed in Beom-bon’s body at all and only bounced off.

“Why? Are you angry?”

Jin Ja-gang glared at Beom-bon for a while, then asked back.

“Does it look that way?”

“I understand. Who in the world could remain detached when someone says they’ll touch their family?”

“My wife will say this.”

Jin Ja-gang bared his teeth. For the first time in a while, his eyes gleamed like a beast as he smiled with killing intent. “Don’t worry about me, just kill that depraved one before your eyes.”

Beom-bon also bared his thick white teeth and smiled.

“Good. Now there’s no hesitation. This humble monk is also pleased. However, if you knew what kind of person Bright Demon God is, you couldn’t have said that.”

“Aren’t he and the great master similar types anyway?”

Jin Ja-gang’s killing intent deepened.

The killing intent Beom-bon emitted also deepened along with it, raising heat waves. Both sides’ killing intent rose to the maximum and made sizzling sounds in the air. The Arhat monks couldn’t endure and stepped back two more steps.

Beom-bon shouted loudly.

“Who dared tell you to retreat!”

The Arhat monks gritted their teeth and rushed at Jin Ja-gang.

“Great mercy, great compassion, transforming path of vast enlightenment!”

“Governing precepts, governing virtue, governing the realm of sentient beings, Namo Amitabha Avalokitesvara…!”

Jin Ja-gang moved his hand to his back waist, then pulled out a sickle like lightning and swung it forward.

Crack!

The pointed end of the paired sickle blade struck an Arhat monk’s head. Because of Iron Head Technique, the point couldn’t enter even half a chi. The Arhat monk advanced while raising Iron Head Technique to the extreme.

“Uooooo!”

Receiving the paired sickle blade with his head, the Arhat monk’s face turned bright red as he advanced step by step. Jin Ja-gang was pushed back while bringing his opposite hand to his back waist. Then he struck upward from below.

Thunk!

The paired sickle blade comes in pairs. The opposite mate penetrated through the Arhat monk’s jaw and embedded up to near the handle. The Arhat monk’s eyes bulged. Jin Ja-gang pulled out the upper and lower sickles and hooked the Arhat monk’s neck crossing from both sides.

Jin Ja-gang pulled the paired sickle blade forcefully. The Arhat monk’s head fell off.

Other Arhat monks rushed in succession. Jin Ja-gang retreated while swinging the paired sickle blade.

Clang! The paired sickle blade caught on Iron Robe and sparks flew.

Jin Ja-gang continuously struck and cut the Arhat monks with the paired sickle blade. The Arhat monks hid their exposed hands and approached while blocking the paired sickle blade with forearms and shoulders. Jin Ja-gang continued stepping backward until he retreated to Yellow Crane Tower’s first floor external stairs.

Jin Ja-gang spun the paired sickle blades round and round in both hands.

One Arhat monk stabbed at Jin Ja-gang with a weapon with trident blades woven onto the end of a staff. Jin Ja-gang hooked the trident blades with the sickle blade and pulled. The Arhat monk made his body heavy with Thousand Pound Weight and endured. The Arhat monks on both sides grabbed the staff-wielding Arhat monk’s arms and crossed their legs to execute Thousand Pound Weight so he wouldn’t be dragged.

“Taaat!”

When three Arhat monks simultaneously executed Thousand Pound Weight, the bluestone floor made cracking sounds and split. Then they pulled Jin Ja-gang instead.

Jin Ja-gang also hooked his leg on the stair railing so as not to be dragged and pulled equally.

Screech, screech!

The trident blades and paired sickle blades made unpleasant metal sounds while caught.

Three people and one person competing in strength with no difference. And that’s with Arhat monks who specialized in external martial arts.

However.

Screeeech… The railing Jin Ja-gang had his leg hooked on bent as if about to break, and the connected wooden beams began being pulled out.

“Ayaaat!”

While the three Arhat monks pulled, Arhat monks from behind approached to attack Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang suddenly released his strength. He flew forward as if bouncing. Jin Ja-gang simultaneously kicked the Arhat monks on the left and right among the three.

Bang! The left and right Arhat monks got hit in the chest and flew backward. The Arhat monk in the middle tried to stab with the staff but couldn’t advance because it was entangled in the paired sickle blade, so he rammed the middle of the staff with his head.

Crack! The staff broke and the entanglement came loose. The Arhat monk spun the staff in his hand, gripped it backwards, and struck down at Jin Ja-gang’s head. Jin Ja-gang continuously struck both sides of the Arhat monk’s ribs with the paired sickle blade. Unable to raise Iron Robe in time, the paired sickle blade thunk thunk struck between the ribs. The Arhat monk’s body hesitated. Jin Ja-gang’s paired sickle blade gradually moved up, continuously striking up to the Arhat monk’s armpit.

Like a bag of blood, blood oozed steadily along both sides of the Arhat monk. The Arhat monk couldn’t strike down the staff to the end and fell forward.

Perhaps from how much poison was used this time, the fallen Arhat monk’s blood bubbled and instantly created bloody pus. Poison energy rose wispily and settled at Yellow Crane Tower’s entrance.

The Arhat monks couldn’t rashly approach.

Jin Ja-gang watched the Arhat monks and walked inside Yellow Crane Tower’s entrance.

Poison energy filling the entrance…

Beom-bon cracked the joints of his fingers and stepped forward.

Then he unhesitatingly walked into Yellow Crane Tower following Jin Ja-gang through the entrance.

The bright moonlight of the full moon scattered in the poison energy and wrapped around Yellow Crane Tower like bleak fog.