Chapter 396

Chapter 396 – The Sky of Green Forest Falls (3)

Whoosh!

Jin Do-hwi's body elongated. A black shadow extended from where he stood to where Dam Ho was, then merged into one.

It was Spatial Transposition, a supreme lightness technique that allowed instant teleportation. The only difference from conventional Spatial Transposition was that he moved a much greater distance.

Jin Do-hwi's eyes flashed with killing intent as he appeared right in front of Dam Ho.

"I'll tear that insolent mouth of yours apart."

Rustle!

The black wing-like cloak stretched out and wrapped around Dam Ho. Expanding to a fearsome size while ignoring physical dimensions and area, the black cloak was the Dragon Blood Robe, one of the Demon Cult's treasures.

Deep in the forests of the distant southern lands lived a spirit creature called the Black Blood Heavenly Silkworm. The thread spun by the Black Blood Heavenly Silkworm had the strength of steel and the flexibility of silk.

Thread made from Black Blood Heavenly Silkworm silk had the property of expanding when internal energy was injected into it, but it was so difficult to obtain that few in the martial world knew of it.

Jin Do-hwi's martial arts involved using the Dragon Blood Robe made from Black Blood Heavenly Silkworm silk. The Dragon Blood Robe could transform at will according to his intentions.

Dam Ho unleashed Star-Shattering Fist toward the Dragon Blood Robe.

When the Star-Shattering Fist hit, thunder naturally erupted. But not this time. The moment of impact, the Dragon Blood Robe softly changed and absorbed all the shock.

It felt like punching empty air – his fist felt nothing. Just as Dam Ho frowned, the fluttering Dragon Blood Robe stiffened like an iron plate and attacked Dam Ho again.

Swish!

Like a bird folding its wings, the Dragon Blood Robe neatly folded and constricted Dam Ho.

Jin Do-hwi mocked Dam Ho.

"No attack will work. My Dragon Blood Robe absorbs all impact."

For someone like Dam Ho who relied purely on overwhelming attacks, the Dragon Blood Robe was naturally his nemesis. That was why Jin Do-hwi was confident of victory.

When his attacks proved ineffective, Dam Ho tried to escape upward. But again the Dragon Blood Robe blocked his path.

Whooom!

The Dragon Blood Robe generated Gang Qi.

Generally, it was nearly impossible to generate Gang Qi with cloth like a cloak. But the Dragon Blood Robe made it possible.

The Gang Qi-infused Dragon Blood Robe constricted Dam Ho.

Tremendous pressure arose along with blade winds that cut across Dam Ho's skin.

'So that's how.'

Only then did Dam Ho understand why the corpses of the Namgung Family martial artists were so mangled. The Gang Qi-emitting Dragon Blood Robe had compressed them like a press.

Once trapped in the Dragon Blood Robe, escape was impossible. For ordinary martial artists, that is. But Dam Ho was no ordinary martial artist.

His five fingers spread wide and adhered to the Dragon Blood Robe. The Gang Qi-infused Dragon Blood Robe was sharp enough to split metal in an instant. But it couldn't wound Dam Ho's hands wrapped in Silver Net Hands.

His palm and five fingers completely adhered to the Dragon Blood Robe.

"I told you it's useless."

Whooom!

As Jin Do-hwi sneered, Dam Ho's palm adhered to the Dragon Blood Robe emitted spiraling force.

It was Five Fingers Rock Breaking Force.

Ripple!

The spiraling force made the Dragon Blood Robe undulate. The Gang Qi within the Dragon Blood Robe also fluctuated.

Jin Do-hwi's eyes widened.

'This can't be!'

It was common knowledge that the Dragon Blood Robe infused with his energy was absolutely unaffected by external influences. At least since Jin Do-hwi began using the Dragon Blood Robe, this had never happened even once.

"Urgh!"

For the first time, the Dragon Blood Robe slipped from Jin Do-hwi's control and fluctuated.

At that moment Dam Ho deployed his charging steps.

Boom!

Before even unleashing Star-Shattering Fist, the air burst and the fluctuating Dragon Blood Robe was instantly stripped away. Jin Do-hwi's body hidden behind the Dragon Blood Robe was revealed.

Star-Shattering Fist exploded.

Clang!

A metallic sound rang out and Jin Do-hwi's body was pushed backward. His left palm was swollen and puffy.

Even defending with the hand technique called Residual Blood Devil Hand, he felt impact as if all the bones in his palm had been crushed.

It was truly terrifying power.

Jin Do-hwi felt his hair stand on end and quickly retreated. Dam Ho's martial prowess far exceeded his expectations.

But Dam Ho didn't let him retreat.

Strange gravitational force arose and grabbed his ankle. It felt like falling into the deep sea and being crushed by an enormous amount of seawater.

At that moment Dam Ho's Star-Shattering Fist erupted once more. The same stance, the same technique.

If it were another martial artist, they would have burst with indignation, asking if he was looking down on them. But Jin Do-hwi was different.

His eyes changed first.

"Hyah! Dragon Spinning Gang."

Instantly the Dragon Blood Robe that had been pushed back by Dam Ho's force came flying toward Dam Ho, rotating at terrifying speed. The Gang Qi within the Dragon Blood Robe also rotated at tremendous speed.

The rotation of the giant awl made of Gang Qi pushed even the air aside. It collided with Dam Ho's fist.

CRASH!

In an instant, with a tremendous roar, the surrounding air burst out. Violent winds whirled in all directions and as the air was pushed away, it momentarily became a vacuum.

"……"

Unbelievable silence arrived.

A quiet world without sound or movement – Dam Ho existed in the center of it.

The silence didn't last long.

WHOOSH!

As if to fill the void, the air that had been pushed outward gathered like a tsunami all at once.

Dam Ho's robes fluttered madly and his hair writhed like tens of thousands of snakes. His eyes stung like awls from the air rushing in to instantly fill the empty space. Still, Dam Ho didn't close his eyes.

His eyes were tracking Jin Do-hwi's whereabouts. But Jin Do-hwi's form was nowhere to be seen. Instead, only his voice could be heard like an echo.

"I'll withdraw for today, Fist Demon. But we'll meet again soon."

The last part was so faint it was barely audible. In that brief moment he had moved far from Overlord's Stronghold.

It was truly terrifying lightness technique beyond human limits. His presence had already vanished and could no longer be felt.

As Dam Ho glared in the direction Jin Do-hwi had disappeared, it happened.

"Father!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong came running, calling Hwang Gyeong-mun with a voice mixed with tears. She held the collapsed Hwang Gyeong-mun on the ground.

"Father, Father! Open your eyes."

Hwang Hye-ryeong hastily injected internal power into Hwang Gyeong-mun's vital points. Her eyes were completely stained with tears.

Whether her wish came true, Hwang Gyeong-mun struggled to open his tightly closed eyes.

"Hye-ryeong… is that you. Why did you come back?"

"Father! You'll be fine. Just hold on a little."

"Where's Il-gwang?"

"He'll come soon."

"Trust him… depend on him. Him…"

"Father, don't talk. Your energy is scattering."

At Hwang Hye-ryeong's tearful words, Hwang Gyeong-mun quietly reached out to stroke her hair.

He felt the silky smooth texture of her hair. When Hwang Hye-ryeong was young, how much scolding had he received for trying to tie her hair with his clumsy hands.

Seeing her messy hair, Hwang Hye-ryeong would cry sadly and Hwang Gyeong-mun wouldn't know what to do. After that, he never tied Hwang Hye-ryeong's hair even once.

After so long… it had been so long since he felt his daughter's hair. His daughter's warmth was transmitted completely through her hair.

A smile seemed to appear on Hwang Gyeong-mun's lips before his head tilted to the side. His breath had stopped. Unaware of this fact, Hwang Hye-ryeong was still desperately injecting internal power into Hwang Gyeong-mun's body.

Dam Ho's eyes sank even deeper.

Whether by coincidence or not, the breathless Hwang Gyeong-mun's face was turned toward him.

"Please take care of my daughter."

His eyes, which had lost the light of life, seemed to be saying that.

Dam Ho bit his lips hard and turned away.

The flames that had been blazing fiercely just moments before had all been extinguished. The vacuum created during Dam Ho and Jin Do-hwi's collision had extinguished all the embers.

Dam Ho walked down the mountain, leaving Hwang Hye-ryeong behind.

Though Jin Do-hwi had disappeared, the Demon Cult martial artists who had followed him hadn't managed to retreat and were still engaged in fierce battle with the Green Forest bandits.

BANG!

Death named Dam Ho descended upon them.

***

In the great hall, Namgung Mu-jin sat alone without even lighting a lamp. In the darkness filling the hall, Namgung Mu-jin polished his sword.

He had learned the sword at five and was already using real swords at seven – he was a sword genius. Receiving the expectations of the entire Namgung Family, the pressure made him anxious and he even suffered qi deviation, but still no one in the Namgung Family possessed martial talent like his.

He polished his sword with all his heart. Though the sword he polished daily without fail didn't have even the smallest speck of dust, he still polished it endlessly.

While polishing the sword, he should empty his mind like still water, but it wasn't easy.

"Sigh!"

Finally he sighed and finished polishing his sword.

An inexplicable anxiety was attacking him. Though he thought he had finished all preparations, strangely his mind was shaken.

"Is it because I'm not walking the righteous path?"

He smiled bitterly.

He had used Overlord's Stronghold to disperse the Demon Cult's forces. At the time he thought it was the best choice, but as time passed, only uncomfortable feelings arose.

Namgung Mu-jin soon shook his head.

"No. How can I be shaken? Everyone in the family is looking only at me. Don't waver, Namgung Mu-jin. No matter what shame you must bear, you must only look ahead and advance."

Those were words to himself.

It was fine to be called blinded by revenge, and it didn't matter to be accused of causing fatal damage to others for the family's prosperity.

He was born and raised solely to protect and make the Namgung Family prosper.

As Namgung Mu-jin was steeling his resolve, it happened.

"Young Family Head!"

The hall door opened and one of the Namgung Family's martial artists rushed in.

"Th-they're here."

"They?"

"The Demon Cult has attacked. They've appeared beyond the main gate."

"Already?"

A bewildered look appeared on Namgung Mu-jin's face. The enemies had appeared faster than his expectations.

If luring them to Tyrant's Stronghold had succeeded, they should have bought at least three or four days.

"What's their strength?"

"Th-that's… they weren't dispersed at all."

"Does that mean the diversionary tactic failed?"

"That's not it, but unexpectedly few martial artists were lured to Overlord's Stronghold."

"Hmm!"

As the martial artist answered, Namgung Mu-jin was letting out a thoughtful sound when it happened.

"AHHH!"

"It's them."

Outside, the screams of Namgung Family martial artists echoed. The Demon Cult had begun their full invasion.

Namgung Mu-jin's complexion changed as he rushed outside.

"This can't be!"

The first sight he saw upon leaving the hall was the main gate with flames reaching the sky. The massive gate that had symbolized the Namgung Family's dignity for hundreds of years was burning, and the great walls that had protected them from external enemies were crumbling. Through the collapsed walls, countless black shadows poured in. They were Demon Cult martial artists.

The Demon Cult martial artists who flooded in like a receding tide were clashing with Namgung Family martial artists everywhere.

"Stop them!"

"Not one of them will pass through here."

The Namgung Family martial artists screamed and blocked the Demon Cult martial artists. But their morale was greatly broken.

In the hundreds of years of Namgung Family history, they had attacked other sects countless times, but the main family had rarely been attacked by other sects. And they had successfully defended against the few invasions.

The sight of what they thought was the safest place in the world being trampled greatly broke the Namgung Family martial artists' spirit.

"The Namgung Family, nothing special. To think it was only this much."

Divine Fire Hall Master Nam Hyeon-so sneered as he watched the Namgung Family crumble miserably.

It was precisely his subordinates who were leading the slaughter of Namgung Family martial artists.

"Stop right now, you bastards!"

Namgung Mu-jin tried to rush toward them in anger. But he couldn't achieve his goal. Because of a woman who appeared like a ghost.

She was a dazzling beauty with dreamy, enchanted eyes. Behind the woman in sky-blue robes hung a pipa.

The woman was precisely Yo Sa-ran.

"You're my prey, boy."

"Get out of my way!"

Namgung Mu-jin unleashed Azure Sky Limitless Sword toward Yo Sa-ran. But Yo Sa-ran too easily evaded Namgung Mu-jin's sword.

Namgung Mu-jin's face hardened. Only then did he instinctively realize Yo Sa-ran was no ordinary martial artist.

After catching his breath briefly, he unleashed the Emperor Sword Form that only the family head could learn. A sword cutting through darkness, fragments of shattering light – within that, Yo Sa-ran opened her mouth.

"Give your all, last family head of the Namgung Family."