Chapter 129

Chapter 129: The Thread of Enmity Grows Ever More Bitter (1)

Muk Il-gwang swayed as though he might collapse at any moment. But he braced himself with one axe serving as a crutch and barely held his ground.

"He is badly wounded. Do not miss this chance—press the attack!"

At Namgung Su's cry, the warriors charged once more.

"Il-gwang!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong tried to rush to Muk Il-gwang, but too many enemies blocked her path. She swung her sword again and again, but her opponents were no ordinary martial artists—they were elites selected from the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families. Their martial prowess was in no way inferior to hers. Their skills were evenly matched, but their numbers were overwhelmingly greater. In the end, Hwang Hye-ryeong was driven to the wall.

"My lady!"

Muk Il-gwang roared at the sight of Hwang Hye-ryeong in danger. Forcing his back straight, he whirled both axes like windmills. The axe qi swirled and surged across the battlefield. It was the Whirling Wind Wild Rending Slash—the highest technique of the Blood Heaven Axe Art he had mastered.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

"Grrk!"

"Gah!"

The weapons that clashed with the axes emitted a grinding sound, and the warriors cried out in pain. Fortunately, no one was killed or seriously injured. Though the technique possessed enough power to shatter a massive boulder, his energy was depleted, and the wound from Namgung Su's ambush prevented him from channeling his full strength.

"Push him back!"

Namgung Su urged the warriors on. Having lost many comrades to Muk Il-gwang, the Alliance warriors were consumed by venomous rage. They attacked without regard for their own safety.

Clang!

"Uwaaah!"

The clang of weapons and desperate war cries echoed across the battlefield. Muk Il-gwang fought with every fiber of his being, deploying the Blood Heaven Axe Art. But the enemy kept coming, and his body was now covered in wounds.

"Haaah!"

His heart felt as though it might burst. His eyes were so bloodshot that the broken capillaries were visible, as though they might drip blood at any moment.

"Hoo! My lady."

Muk Il-gwang raised his head and looked at Hwang Hye-ryeong. Between him and her, too many enemies still stood.

Schlick!

In that moment, a long gash appeared on Hwang Hye-ryeong's shoulder. At the sight of her staggering, Muk Il-gwang shut his eyes tight.

'My lady!' Hwang Hye-ryeong was everything to him. He had become a member of the Dragon Riding Guard to protect her, and he was happy to be able to guard her side. If only he could reach out and wipe the tears glistening in her beautiful eyes…

Muk Il-gwang bit his lip until it bled. His grip on the axes tightened. Every muscle in his body swelled, and thick veins bulged like worms. His aura was unmistakably extraordinary, and Namgung Su cried out, "Everyone, be careful!"

"Kuaaah!"

In that instant, Muk Il-gwang let out a terrible roar and charged at the warriors attacking Hwang Hye-ryeong.

Shwaaaaah!

From his axes, a violent wave of qi erupted and swept the surroundings.

"Gah!"

"Uwaaaah!"

Caught in the wave, the warriors were cleaved in two, their screams echoing.

"Il… gwang…"

Hwang Hye-ryeong's eyelashes trembled. She knew. The incredible martial power Muk Il-gwang was displaying was not something he could produce in a normal state. He was now reversing and exploding his internal energy. He could unleash power several times greater than his normal capacity, but when the brief period ended, he would be racked by enormous aftereffects—or, in the worst case, lose his life.

Muk Il-gwang had staked everything on the Reversal Blood Great Technique.

Crack! Crack!

With a sickening sound, countless warriors lost their lives. With the aid of the Reversal Blood Great Technique, Muk Il-gwang finally reached Hwang Hye-ryeong.

"My lady! Are you all right?"

"Why did you do that? The Reversal Blood Great Technique…"

"Protecting you is this one's only wish. My life is of no consequence."

"Il-gwang!"

"Climb onto my back."

Muk Il-gwang turned around. His broad back was visible, but Hwang Hye-ryeong could not bring herself to climb on. Doing so would only add to his burden. Muk Il-gwang urged her.

"There is no time, my lady."

In the end, Hwang Hye-ryeong had no choice but to climb onto his back. Muk Il-gwang tore his sleeve and bound her tightly to himself. In this way, they became one in fate.

"Hold on tight, my lady."

"Yes!"

Seeing her nod, a look of steely determination appeared on Muk Il-gwang's face. 'I will save my lady no matter what—even if it costs me this life.' His resolve was set. All that remained was to act.

Muk Il-gwang launched himself toward the outskirts of 岳yang. Naturally, the Alliance warriors stood in his way. Their eyes burned with venom. No one here was capable of rational thought. They had forgotten all about capturing Hwang Hye-ryeong and attacked with full force.

"Kuaaah!"

Muk Il-gwang roared and swung both axes. Hwang Hye-ryeong clung to his back like a cicada, her eyes shut. Through his back, she could feel the violent pounding of his heart.

Thump! Thump!

In this hellish landscape, only the sound of Muk Il-gwang's heartbeat offered her any comfort.

"……"

In that instant, Hwang Hye-ryeong flinched. It was not because of her wounds. It was a strange sense of déjà vu—a feeling of security and an atmosphere she had experienced once before. She was bewildered. She had been born and raised in the Overlord's Stronghold. She had gone down the mountain a few times to see the world, but she had never experienced a true crisis. There was no way she could have had such an intense experience.

'It must be a mistake.'

Hwang Hye-ryeong shook her head.

Tap!

In that instant, Muk Il-gwang's body lurched. He had launched himself into the air with qinggong. Breaking through the encirclement in an instant, he hurtled forward. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth—dark, clotted blood, a sign that the Reversal Blood Great Technique had reached its limit.

'Just a little further…'

Muk Il-gwang poured everything into his qinggong. His body shot out of the battlefield in a flash. His plan was succeeding.

Boom!

"Guh!"

Suddenly, a thunderous impact struck him as though he had hit an invisible wall. Muk Il-gwang's body was sent flying backward. He tumbled to the ground, and Hwang Hye-ryeong, bound to his back, fell as well.

"Grrk!"

"Ugh!"

Both of them groaned in pain.

"Tch! I almost let you slip away."

Standing where they had bounced back was an old man with distinctive white hair. His appearance drew a great cheer from the Alliance warriors.

"Sage Cheong-gu!"

The white-haired old man was none other than Sage Cheong-gu, an elder of the Cheongseong Sect. The Cheongseong Sect had entered 岳yang only recently, and so its warriors were more eager than anyone. Sage Cheong-gu held an important position within the sect. His martial arts were formidable, and he detested evil to the point of nausea. When it came to dealing with the demonic, he showed not a shred of mercy and would not rest until the wrongdoer was punished. Such was Sage Cheong-gu that his epithet, among the Daoists, was Demon-Slaying Death God.

Upon hearing that Hwang Hye-ryeong was in 岳yang, he had not hesitated to join the pursuit. As it happened, he had been able to cut off Muk Il-gwang's escape route. Sage Cheong-gu radiated a frost-like aura as he surveyed the area.

"Tsk tsk! What a wretched state to be in—all over mere bandits."

"My apologies, Sage. But their resistance was too fierce…"

Namgung Su stepped forward. His apology eased Sage Cheong-gu's expression slightly.

"Is that girl truly Hwang Gyeong-mun's daughter?"

"That is correct."

"Good."

A grim smile appeared on Sage Cheong-gu's face. He was a renowned master in the Sichuan region. But in his entire life, he had suffered one humiliation—defeat at the hands of Hwang Gyeong-mun. That battle had taken place before Hwang Gyeong-mun had achieved his current fame, and the result had been a crushing defeat. Since that day, Sage Cheong-gu had never forgotten the humiliation. He had wished for nothing more than to face Hwang Gyeong-mun again, but Hwang Gyeong-mun had refused to fight him a second time. What mattered to him was the safety of the Green Forest, not personal glory.

'If I capture that girl and use her as leverage, Hwang Gyeong-mun will no longer be able to avoid fighting me.'

Sage Cheong-gu walked toward Hwang Hye-ryeong. Muk Il-gwang gritted his teeth and blocked his path. He was already little more than a blood-soaked man. That he was still alive despite such wounds was nothing short of miraculous.

"Grrk! You… shall not reach my lady."

Muk Il-gwang's legs trembled. His internal energy was spent. The aftereffects of the Reversal Blood Great Technique had severed the meridians throughout his body, and his qi and blood were so tangled that he could barely stand. Nevertheless, he used both axes as crutches and forced himself upright. Sage Cheong-gu sneered at the sight.

"Tch! Your tenacity is admirable. But without the strength to back it up, it is worthless."

Sage Cheong-gu flicked his fist lightly toward Muk Il-gwang.

Boom!

"Guh!"

In an instant, accompanied by a thunderous sound, Muk Il-gwang's massive body was sent flying backward. It was the Blood Circulating Fist—a technique ranked among the highest of the Cheongseong Sect's many skills. Once mastered, it wielded formidable power, but mastering it required an extraordinary amount of time and effort. So few within the Cheongseong Sect had learned it. Sage Cheong-gu had executed it with effortless ease—a testament to his full mastery.

"Lie there. Your fate will be decided separately."

Crack!

Sage Cheong-gu's foot stomped down on Muk Il-gwang's arm. With a sickening crunch, Muk Il-gwang's wrist shattered.

"You shall not reach my lady."

Muk Il-gwang grabbed Sage Cheong-gu's left ankle with his remaining arm. A flash of killing intent crossed Sage Cheong-gu's eyes.

"You vermin are irritatingly persistent."

Thud!

His right leg hammered into Muk Il-gwang's chest.

"Kuhuk!"

Muk Il-gwang collapsed, spewing blood. The kick appeared light on the surface, but it contained the subtle force of penetrating energy. Muk Il-gwang's already critical qi and blood points were crushed beyond recovery.

"Il-gwang!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong screamed in despair. She crawled toward him, but before she could reach him, Sage Cheong-gu blocked her path.

"So you are Hwang Gyeong-mun's daughter."

Sage Cheong-gu seized her by the neck and lifted her. Her face turned red as she struggled.

"Guh! Guh!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong thrashed, but Sage Cheong-gu did not budge.

"I am not keeping you alive because you are precious. It is to draw out your father, Hwang Gyeong-mun. I will tear him to pieces before your very eyes."

"Grrk!"

"If you are a Green Forest bandit, you should have stayed in the Green Forest. What business does a bandit have causing trouble in the territory of the Murim Alliance?"

"You—! Ptooey!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong spat in Sage Cheong-gu's face. Blood-tinged saliva ran down his cheek. In that instant, rage contorted his face. His palm lashed out and struck her cheek.

Smack!

"Ah!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong's cheek swelled instantly. But his anger was not yet assuaged. Sage Cheong-gu raised his hand to strike again. This time, his energy was condensed. If the blow landed, it would not end with a few broken teeth or torn flesh.

'As long as she is alive, that is all that matters.'

That was Sage Cheong-gu's thought. Just as he was about to strike—

Boom!

A sudden tremor shook the battlefield.