Chapter 188

Chapter 188: Grudges Accumulate Unknowingly (1)

Cho Yeon-woon raised his head and surveyed his surroundings.

He was currently on a desolate highway. All that could be seen was barren earth and a yellow sky.

The bleak landscape weighed down the hearts of Cho Yeon-woon and his fellow disciples.

"Hah!"

Cho Yeon-woon let out a sigh.

It had been over four months since they had begun searching for the Demonic Cult's stronghold in the northern Central Plains. In that time, they had scoured every corner of Shanxi Province. But nowhere had they found anything that could be called the Demonic Cult's base.

Because of this, Cho Yeon-woon and his disciples were thoroughly exhausted.

Beside him, disciple Jeong Gyeon-hwi called softly.

"Senior Brother?"

"What?"

"Should we not return now?"

"I am not sure."

"No matter how I think about it, searching Shanxi further will yield nothing. If after all this we have found nothing, then it simply is not in Shanxi."

"I think the same. But we cannot simply return of our own accord, so it is frustrating."

Under normal circumstances, they would have been exchanging casual jokes. But the long, endless journey had worn them down, robbing them of even their humor.

It was then.

"Senior Brother!"

Sang Gwan-su, the youngest among the group, called out.

"What is it?"

"Over there?"

Sang Gwan-su pointed toward the sky.

A hawk circled overhead.

Cho Yeon-woon's eyes lit up.

"A messenger hawk?"

He extended his hand toward the sky. The hawk descended like an arrow and perched upon his forearm.

A small message tube was attached to the hawk's leg. Inside was a tiny, rolled-up letter.

As Cho Yeon-woon read the letter, his expression grew grave.

Jeong Gyeon-hwi asked.

"What is it, Senior Brother?"

"We are to join the Shouzhou Branch immediately."

"Shouzhou?"

"Yes. It seems the Shouzhou Branch has become a target of the Demonic Cult. We are ordered to reinforce their defenses."

"The situation must be more serious than we thought."

"It seems many have already died. We must steel ourselves."

"Do not worry, Senior Brother. We are disciples of the White Cloud Manor. We steeled ourselves long ago."

"Yes!"

As Cho Yeon-woon nodded…

On the opposite side of the highway, a group of people was approaching.

Dust covered their heads and shoulders, suggesting they had come a long way.

They were pulling two baggage carts and appeared to be an escort company or a group of merchants passing through.

"Senior Brother?"

"Step aside and let them pass."

"Understood."

At Cho Yeon-woon's command, Jeong Gyeon-hwi ordered the disciples to move to one side of the road. The apparent leader of the approaching group raised a hand in a slight salute of gratitude.

Cho Yeon-woon also bowed his head slightly in return.

Rumble!

The sound of cart wheels echoed along the highway.

Cho Yeon-woon stood to one side, watching the passing figures with dispassionate eyes.

All wore broad-brimmed hats and raincoats, with ornately carved sword sheaths hanging at their waists.

On one of the carts they pulled, a man lay alone, his face covered by his hat. He appeared to be asleep, paying no attention to Cho Yeon-woon's party.

As Cho Yeon-woon watched the man in the hat, he felt as though a needle were piercing his brow.

'What is this?'

Immediately after, a faint scent of blood刺激 his nostrils.

Cho Yeon-woon's face hardened.

At that moment, the man on the cart raised his hand. The cart and its escort halted.

He sat up and looked at Cho Yeon-woon. His voice drifted from beneath the hat.

"You have good instincts."

"You?"

"Tch! I would have let you pass, had things been different."

Cho Yeon-woon shouted to his disciples.

"Everyone, be on guard!"

Hearing his voice, the disciples quickly retreated and assumed defensive postures against the strangers.

The man in the hat shook his head and descended from the cart.

Cho Yeon-woon glared at him.

"Who are you?"

"You would not know even if I told you. I am a newcomer to the martial world."

The man removed his hat. A handsome face was revealed.

Fine features, firmly set lips, and sharp eyes were laid bare for all to see.

The moment Cho Yeon-woon saw the man's face, he felt a chill run down his spine. The aura emanating from the man's body made him tense.

The man smiled.

"But I shall make an exception for you. My name is Jo Ja-gyeong."

"Jo Ja-gyeong?"

"Now, won't you reveal your name?"

"My name is Cho Yeon-woon."

"Crooked Cloud Dragon?"

"You know me?"

"You are more of a figure than I expected. To meet you here of all places."

The man who had identified himself as Jo Ja-gyeong wore a slightly troubled expression. But a smile soon returned to his face.

"Since we have met regardless, it cannot be helped. I have long wished to test myself against one of the Nine Dragons. Crooked Cloud Dragon would be a worthy substitute."

His voice carried killing intent.

Cho Yeon-woon's brow furrowed.

"The Dem… onic Cult?"

He had spoken the words without thinking. Jo Ja-gyeong did not deny them.

"I am Jo Ja-gyeong, Captain of the Heaven Overturning Division of the New Cult."

"And?"

"Our meeting was a coincidence, but I wish to settle things with you. I have heard so much about you and the Nine Dragons."

Jo Ja-gyeong laughed.

The blood scent that Cho Yeon-woon had detected was emanating from Jo Ja-gyeong. He had killed so many that the scent had naturally permeated his body.

Cho Yeon-woon gritted his teeth.

"Heaven Overturning? A bold name."

"You will learn whether it is bold or not through experience."

Jo Ja-gyeong smiled and advanced toward Cho Yeon-woon.

A powerful killing intent washed over Cho Yeon-woon. It was strong enough to make even those at the peak of martial arts falter. But Cho Yeon-woon did not flinch in the slightest.

This level of killing intent was nothing.

He had met someone whose killing intent was several times greater. Having experienced that, he could move naturally even under terrifying pressure. But his disciples could not.

Overwhelmed by Jo Ja-gyeong's killing intent, the disciples stood rigid, frozen in place.

Cho Yeon-woon shouted.

"Everyone, snap out of it!"

His lion's roar awakened the disciples' minds.

In that instant, Jo Ja-gyeong's subordinates charged at Cho Yeon-woon's disciples.

As if that were a signal, Cho Yeon-woon and Jo Ja-gyeong clashed.

Shing!

Jo Ja-gyeong's sword cleaved through space.

With no form, no technique—it merely cut the shortest distance. Yet this simple swordplay was chillingly sharp.

Cho Yeon-woon was driven relentlessly backward. Jo Ja-gyeong never relinquished the advantage once gained.

His sword, like a viper, sought Cho Yeon-woon's vital points.

Shing!

The sword wind that sliced skin made Cho Yeon-woon wince.

'This fellow—his sword path is alive.'

Even in that instant, Jo Ja-gyeong's sword was hurtling toward Cho Yeon-woon's brow.

Sword and Body as One.

Yet he used none of the extreme techniques like sword energy or sword force that consumed qi. It was an extraordinarily efficient and extreme form of swordsmanship.

It was not a sword art that could be learned by endlessly repeating forms. It was a style that had been naturally ingrained through countless battles and bloody fights.

As though reading Cho Yeon-woon's thoughts, Jo Ja-gyeong spoke coldly.

"They call it the Battle Sword Style."

Shing!

But the sword did not stop.

The Demonic Cult's history spanned over a thousand years. During that long age, countless branch schools had risen and fallen within the Cult.

The Battle Sword Style was one of those that had survived for over a millennium. That was how unique and powerful it was.

In the Battle Sword Style, there were no fixed forms or rigid sword paths. At each moment, the sword was wielded according to the situation, and one survived.

The more one survived, the stronger one became, and those who survived to the end carved their names into the history of the Demonic Cult.

Jo Ja-gyeong was the current successor of the Battle Sword Style.

His sword was merciless and terrifying. Wounds appeared across Cho Yeon-woon's body.

From shallow cuts on the skin to deeper gashes, the variety was wide.

"Hmph!"

But Cho Yeon-woon showed no sign of weakening and scoffed.

If Jo Ja-gyeong was the successor of the Battle Sword Style, then he possessed the Eight Desolation Divine Fist. And the successor of the Eight Desolation Divine Fist never retreated.

"Hyah!"

He unleashed the ultimate technique of the Eight Desolation Divine Fist.

Boom!

For the first time, fist and sword collided.

With a thunderous roar, the two bodies lurched.

Both must have sustained considerable damage, yet neither yielded an inch.

"Not bad."

"You are the same."

Their sword and fist clashed once more.

Clang!

A steel sword and a flesh-and-blood fist collided, and the sound of metal rang out.

"Hyah!"

Cho Yeon-woon unleashed the Eight Desolation Divine Fist's ultimate technique—Eight Desolation Myriad Strikes.

A blow carrying the weight of ten thousand loads.

CRASH!

A metallic ring unlike anything before sent Jo Ja-gyeong's body skidding backward. Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. He had sustained some internal injuries.

But Cho Yeon-woon's complexion was no better. He too could feel his qi and blood surging and was desperately trying to calm them.

Jo Ja-gyeong had used neither sword energy nor sword force, yet his blade carried an aura similar to a penetrating technique.

A penetrating technique executed with a sword? It was an unheard-of martial art.

Swish!

Jo Ja-gyeong's body lightly kicked off the ground.

As he approached in a wide arc, his sword released a crescent-shaped wave of sword energy.

Crescent Moon Strike.

A sword energy unique to the Battle Sword Style, distinct from ordinary sword energy.

Crash!

"Kuh!"

For the first time, a strangled groan escaped Cho Yeon-woon's lips. It was as though he had been struck by a massive iron hammer—his entire body ached.

He had neutralized it with the Eight Desolation Divine Fist's ultimate technique, yet the impact was still this severe.

Cho Yeon-woon staggered for a moment. But he quickly forced his qi under control and charged at Jo Ja-gyeong.

"Hyah!"

The ultimate techniques of the Eight Desolation Divine Fist erupted in rapid succession.

Eight Desolation Subduing Demon, Eight Desolation Invincibility.

Boom! Boom! Crash!

Successive thunderous sounds tore through the air.

A storm-like surge of energy swept in all directions, and shattered stone fragments flew like hidden weapons.

The two fought as though maddened.

They fought, and fought again, burning everything they had.

Their entire bodies were drenched in blood. Yet neither retreated.

They were truly like demons driven mad by battle.

Slash!

Bang!

Cho Yeon-woon's side was deeply slashed, and Jo Ja-gyeong was sent hurtling backward as though struck by a boulder.

The wounds were severe enough that both collapsed and could not move.

"Senior Brother!"

"Captain!"

Cho Yeon-woon's disciples and the Heaven Overturning Division's fighters rushed to their sides.