Chapter 373

An Ryeong dropped her sword.

Her face was instantly soaked with sweat from the pain.

“This… this…!”

Though Ham-geun’s gaze was cold, the corners of his eyebrows were trembling. Ham-geun tried to say something but closed his mouth instead.

An Ryeong panted while sneering.

“What… do you feel guilty or something?”

Ham-geun didn’t answer. But judging from how he closed his lips tighter than before, he was clearly feeling some remorse.

“Plum blossoms… are symbols of gentlemen… They don’t suit Great Hero Ham at all right now.”

Ham-geun cut off An Ryeong’s words.

“You seem to be in pain. Let me end your suffering.”

If Ham-geun just twisted his sword, An Ryeong would die with her belly split open.

But Im Yi-eon was flying in from behind.

“You old bastard!”

Im Yi-eon was flying in right behind An Ryeong. Ham-geun’s eyes went up very briefly then came back down.

Then An Ryeong grabbed Ham-geun’s hand firmly.

“Hm?”

Ham-geun tried to cut An Ryeong’s belly in half, but his hand wouldn’t move. The sword embedded in An Ryeong’s belly wouldn’t budge at all.

An Ryeong gripped Ham-geun’s hand with all her strength.

Crack.

Ham-geun’s hand began to crumble under the tremendous grip strength.

Ham-geun’s face contorted as if crumpling. No matter how much internal energy he used, he couldn’t pull his hand free.

Crack snap.

The back of his hand broke and his fingers bent at will.

Ham-geun’s face flushed red with bulging veins. The pain was one thing, but Im Yi-eon was right above his head.

Ham-geun kicked up at An Ryeong’s elbow. Snap, the elbow broke and the force crushing Ham-geun’s hand weakened.

“Agh!”

Ham-geun immediately kicked An Ryeong’s abdomen to push her away.

An Ryeong was blown backward as the sword slid out.

At the same time, Im Yi-eon’s sword slashed Ham-geun’s right wrist.

Ham-geun immediately switched the sword to his left hand and swung at the air.

Clang!

Im Yi-eon’s and Ham-geun’s swords became entangled. Im Yi-eon continuously kicked Ham-geun’s chest while in mid-air.

Thud thud thump! Ham-geun was pushed back several steps.

Im Yi-eon landed and shouted in great anger.

“You shameless scoundrel!”

Ham-geun tore the sleeve of his severed right wrist and tied it tightly with his teeth, then laughed.

“Heh… hehe.”

“Shameless bastard! What are you laughing at!”

“We’re all going to die here anyway, so what use are shame and pride?”

“Since when did Mount Hua Sect become like this! Even with death before our eyes, fulfilling one’s duty is the pride of the righteous path!”

“Sword Empress…”

Ham-geun asked back with suddenly sunken eyes.

“Is Southern Sea Sword Sect different?”

Im Yi-eon’s face reddened.

“What… are you talking about?”

“If you can confidently say Southern Sea Sword Sect is different from Mount Hua, I’ll immediately apologize and commit suicide.”

Im Yi-eon couldn’t immediately refute. Her face only became redder.

“Wasn’t Southern Sea Sword Sect trying to marry Indestructible Heavenly Sword’s adopted son Silent Dragon with Sword Empress’s disciple Ice Phoenix until recently? Then when Silent Dragon died, you tried to send Ice Phoenix elsewhere. Right to the An family medical house.”

“This bastard…!”

Ham-geun said with sharp eyes.

“Tell me if I’m wrong.”

“…”

“As expected, you can’t speak. So…”

Ham-geun regulated his breathing and slowly began drawing sword steel.

“I don’t know where it went wrong. Perhaps the times made us this way. But one important thing.”

Swish!

Ham-geun thrust forward his brilliantly shining sword.

“Even if you want to change the world, you must survive to do so. And only our Mount Hua can do that.”

Im Yi-eon gritted her teeth.

“Arrogant and full of conceit. Even without Mount Hua Sect, someone will accomplish that task.”

“You’re saying Southern Sea Sword Sect can do it?”

Ham-geun sneered.

“Then show your skill. So far, you haven’t lived up to the Sword Empress’s reputation.”

Crack, Im Yi-eon gritted her teeth while drawing sword steel. Pure white lightning flickered at her sword tip.

“You should have done this from the start.”

Ham-geun slowly walked forward, closing the distance. Im Yi-eon likewise approached Ham-geun.

Im Yi-eon’s sword moved first.

Whooom! A streak of light extended long. Ham-geun also received Swallow Brave Slanted Cliff Sword with the complex trajectory of plum blossom sword technique. But their swords didn’t clash directly. They barely avoided clashing by deflecting their swords at the last moment.

Swish! Swoosh swoosh!

Wind sounds continued endlessly, but the swords never collided once. Sword light flashed frantically and brilliantly. In the blink of an eye they exchanged dozens of moves, yet still hadn’t clashed.

Then they grazed each other once.

Screeech!

As the swords scraped past each other, tremendous light scattering occurred. Instantly, nosebleeds burst from both Im Yi-eon’s and Ham-geun’s noses simultaneously. And the sword steel’s light visibly diminished.

Ham-geun injected more internal energy to maintain his original sword steel. In contrast, Im Yi-eon greatly reduced her sword steel to almost sword energy level.

Im Yi-eon quickly deployed Swallow Brave Slanted Cliff Sword. Ham-geun lowered his sword toward her ankle to block.

Zing! The moment the swords clashed, blood flowed slightly from Im Yi-eon’s nose again. Im Yi-eon paid no attention and continued slashing with her sword. Flashes of light completely surrounded Ham-geun and swept over him.

Im Yi-eon continuously bled slightly from her nose and mouth. The plum blossom sword technique’s forms were very mysterious, preventing Im Yi-eon’s fast sword from penetrating.

However, though Im Yi-eon seemed to suffer small losses, it was actually Ham-geun who was being pushed back. Im Yi-eon was handling internal energy very delicately. She only increased sword steel when necessary. If time continued like this, Ham-geun’s internal energy would be depleted first.

Though the fight had only just begun, smoke was already rising from Ham-geun’s sword.

* * *

The confrontation between Jin Ja-gang and Gong-hon tilted faster than expected.

Vajra monk Gong-hon’s movements had become very disorderly, unlike before. With himself suffering internal injuries while worrying about Mu-gak’s condition, it naturally became difficult to fend off Jin Ja-gang’s offensive.

Thump!

Jin Ja-gang’s energy release exploded on Gong-hon’s back.

Gong-hon and Mu-gak simultaneously spewed blood. Especially in the blood Mu-gak spat, there were even fingernail-sized black chunks mixed in.

Gong-hon’s attention was scattered.

“Four hundred trillion!”

Mu-gak shouted sharply.

“Concentrate!”

At that moment, Jin Ja-gang showed no mercy and tripped Gong-hon’s leg. When Gong-hon staggered, Jin Ja-gang stepped on his knee to climb up and kicked his neck, then grabbed Gong-hon’s head to strike his philtrum with his knee.

Smack! Thump!

Gong-hon’s head jerked back then returned. When Gong-hon grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s leg to counterattack, Jin Ja-gang kicked Mu-gak who was held in his chest. Gong-hon had no choice but to crouch with both arms to protect Mu-gak.

Thud! Thud thud!

Jin Ja-gang repeatedly kicked Gong-hon’s arms. Due to internal injuries, even Golden Silk Iron Beads were almost completely broken. Gong-hon’s previously solid arms began to shake.

Jin Ja-gang placed his finger on Gong-hon’s forehead.

Gong-hon quickly turned his head sideways to avoid the energy release.

Whoosh! The energy release Jin Ja-gang generated disappeared while creating a fierce whirlwind where Gong-hon’s head had been.

Jin Ja-gang landed on the ground and struck up the arm Gong-hon was blocking with his left palm.

Thump! The energy release burst, pushing away one of Gong-hon’s arms. Gong-hon’s chest was completely exposed.

Jin Ja-gang immediately extended his right hand to target Mu-gak exposed in Gong-hon’s chest.

Mu-gak tried to extend his finger to block but hesitated as he suddenly spewed blood.

A look of “oh no” mixed into Mu-gak’s gaze.

If Jin Ja-gang struck Mu-gak with energy release, Mu-gak couldn’t resist and would die from the direct hit.

“KRAAAAH!”

Gong-hon shouted a battle cry while lifting the hand that had been holding Mu-gak upward to throw Mu-gak.

Though Mu-gak possessed tremendous power, he was simultaneously Gong-hon’s weakness.

Jin Ja-gang’s finger touched the empty space of Gong-hon’s chest.

Thump!

Gong-hon’s body shook greatly.

Mu-gak, who had been thrown upward, fell back down.

Gong-hon stood still in place and caught Mu-gak.

Mu-gak extended his finger to try striking Jin Ja-gang. But Mu-gak’s finger couldn’t reach Jin Ja-gang this time either.

Mu-gak moved away from Jin Ja-gang along with Gong-hon, who was falling like an old tree.

Thud.

Gong-hon collapsed completely spread-eagle.

“Cough-hack!”

Gong-hon spat up blood greatly while lying down. Mu-gak likewise spewed blood together.

Jin Ja-gang looked down briefly at fallen Gong-hon and Mu-gak, writhing in agony with his twisted body on his chest.

Mu-gak, whose eyes had turned red, trembled while speaking with a pained expression.

“This is…”

He was breathing heavily, as if feverish.

It was because of poisoning. Though Mu-gak had deep internal energy, except for his fingers, his entire body’s energy and blood were twisted and damaged, so when poison invaded other parts, it wasn’t easy to expel. He was barely enduring with internal energy.

“Was this it? Is this why you told me not to eat it?”

“I said you’d regret it.”

Jin Ja-gang soon turned his head at a single scream that could be heard.

“AAAAAGH!”

Yang Yang from Red Sword Sect was spewing blood just like Mu-gak. When Yang Yang suddenly spewed blood, all the Cherry Blossom Corps youngsters fled from her side.

Jin Ja-gang approached Yang Yang. Yang Yang grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s leg and pleaded.

“P-please save me. Cough hack, cough hack!”

But unfortunately, there was nothing Jin Ja-gang could do for her now.

No matter how he thought about it, the Cherry Blossom Corps were people who didn’t belong in this place.

Moreover, these people had been sent by Mang Ryo. Mang Ryo wouldn’t have sent them with poison disguised as antidote without any meaning.

‘Don’t tell me…’

Jin Ja-gang found himself thinking something absurd.

‘On purpose?’

That he had demonstratively sent them with poison.

Given Mang Ryo’s usual behavior, it really could have been something he did for Jin Ja-gang to see.

Jin Ja-gang was becoming increasingly convinced as he watched Yang Yang’s poisoning symptoms.

‘It’s the same as back then!’

Zhuge Yeon.

Shin Yong.

Baek Li-gwon.

They had all been poisoned before meeting Jin Ja-gang, and all had the common point of carrying poison resistance pills.

And both Mu-gak and Yang Yang in this place had also eaten poison resistance pills and were poisoned in the same way.

All of this was connected to Mang Ryo.

And the reason for revealing this in this situation was…

Jin Ja-gang hurriedly examined Yang Yang’s condition.

Her eyes were sunken as if collapsing, the area under her eyes had turned black, and she coughed constantly. She occasionally vomited blood, and her breathing was wheezing from phlegm.

Her stomach also rumbled and churned. If left alone, she would urinate and defecate blood.

Though it might seem like ordinary symptoms at first glance, diseases that cause such complex symptoms simultaneously are not common.

Fortunately, Jin Ja-gang had recently encountered similar symptoms several times.

‘Epidemic!’

Jin Ja-gang could be increasingly certain.

This was very similar to symptoms when afflicted with epidemic disease, that is, plague. If there were someone nearby afflicted with plague, eight or nine times out of ten, one would think they had contracted the same plague.

Moreover, seeing that Mu-gak’s poisoning manifested before Yang Yang’s, this poison seemed to act more severely the higher one’s internal energy. In other words, it was poison that acted more fatally on martial artists.

‘This was it!’

Summer, water.

Rainy season and floods.

Epidemic, and poison that causes symptoms similar to epidemic.

Suddenly, the clues were fitting together as one.