Chapter 498

Chapter 498 – In This World and Beyond, Only Moving Forward (2)

"Your body is quite sturdy."

Ho Cheon-myeong repeatedly clenched and opened his right hand. It was the hand that had struck Dam Ho.

Though he'd concentrated enough power to penetrate a one-jang-thick steel wall in one blow, he couldn't cut off Dam Ho's breath. Rather, a faint pain was felt in his fist.

Then Dam Ho who'd been stuck in the boulder raised his body. Rock fragments piled on his head and shoulders rustled down. At his lips, a streak of blood showed.

The unexpected strike had inflicted considerable internal injury on him. The fortunate thing was that at the moment of crisis, he'd deployed Violent Demon Energy to offset Ho Cheon-myeong's attack.

Dam Ho's eyes narrowed.

Though he'd allowed an unexpected strike, his fighting spirit hadn't diminished at all.

His enemy was before his eyes. Close enough to reach with an outstretched hand.

Pat!

Dam Ho kicked the earth again.

Becoming a line, he surged toward Ho Cheon-myeong.

Kwang!

Space burst at his fist again. But Ho Cheon-myeong didn't exist at that spot. So Dam Ho's fist only split space in vain.

It was the moment Dam Ho's eyes narrowed.

Kwajik!

Suddenly violent pain was felt from his back. Dam Ho vomited blood and bounced forward.

Where Dam Ho had been standing, right behind, Ho Cheon-myeong stood. He'd somehow moved behind Dam Ho's back and delivered a strike.

Without even touching to confirm, he could know. This strike had broken three or four ribs. Broken bones were piercing muscles. Extreme pain was felt, but Dam Ho didn't care and chased Ho Cheon-myeong's movements with his eyes.

Momentarily Dam Ho's pupils shook. Because Ho Cheon-myeong's figure wasn't visible.

Though clearly watching with both eyes, he disappeared. As if erased from this world.

Dam Ho's senses had reached their peak. Not just eyes but hearing, smell, touch, even sixth sense. Yet he couldn't detect how Ho Cheon-myeong moved.

Kwang!

At that moment, with a roar Dam Ho's body bounced again. This time Ho Cheon-myeong appeared at Dam Ho's side.

His movements were like a ghost. Appearing and attacking without sign or omen, Dam Ho's senses couldn't detect it.

It was the same for Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon who were watching. Even viewing from a third-party position, they couldn't grasp Ho Cheon-myeong's movements at all.

"Form Exchange Position? No, Immovable Radiant King Steps?"

Both Form Exchange Position and Immovable Radiant King Steps were supreme footwork methods that instantly changed one's position.

The two people soon shook their heads.

Though both Form Exchange Position and Immovable Radiant King Steps were certainly remarkable footwork, they weren't enough to perfectly deceive the senses of absolute masters like themselves.

The footwork Ho Cheon-myeong was deploying now wasn't at that level. It seemed like tearing space and moving between.

"Could it be?"

At that moment, the two people simultaneously thought of one word.

Kwang!

At that moment, a roar burst out and Dam Ho staggered.

His already disheveled hair was completely wild, and fresh blood poured from his nose and mouth. Because he'd received a huge shock to his back again.

Behind his back, Ho Cheon-myeong already stood.

Ghost-like movements.

Anyone could see it. That Ho Cheon-myeong was toying with Dam Ho like a cat playing with a mouse.

Dam Ho couldn't react at all to Ho Cheon-myeong's ghost-like movements. Covered in blood and staggering, his appearance was utterly miserable. But his gaze still glowed fiercely.

At such Dam Ho's appearance, Ho Cheon-myeong let out an exclamation.

"Your mental strength is truly remarkable. But no matter how strong mental strength is, it's useless once the body collapses."

Instantly Ho Cheon-myeong disappeared from everyone's sight again.

Kwaang!

An explosion burst out.

Everyone expected Dam Ho would be injured again. But though his body shook, he wasn't wounded.

Ho Cheon-myeong's fist was blocked by Dam Ho's palm. Though his body jolted from the impact, he still wasn't wounded.

Dam Ho's eyes flashed fiercely.

"So you were skipping through space."

"It seems you've finally noticed. That's right. Cutting space and moving."

Though his attack was blocked, Ho Cheon-myeong wasn't surprised at all. His expression was as if he'd expected this.

Because he thought a martial artist with Dam Ho's level of vision and judgment would notice around now.

It was movement possible because he'd realized Time-Space Sword. Using Time-Space Sword to cut space itself and move to the desired location. Within a radius of over ten jang, he could move to any desired location anytime.

It was footwork called Space Step.

Because he cut space and moved, no omen or sign could be detected. Dam Ho blocking Ho Cheon-myeong's attack wasn't because he felt an omen but because he unconsciously followed his fearsome developed instinct.

Dam Ho kicked the earth.

For whatever reason, he'd blocked Ho Cheon-myeong's attack for the first time. Now it was time to counterattack.

Kwaa!

But his fist only cut air in vain again. Ho Cheon-myeong had deployed Space Step once more.

Ho Cheon-myeong appeared behind Dam Ho. Instantly Dam Ho's form spun in place like a top. But before Dam Ho's form could even complete half a turn, Ho Cheon-myeong's figure disappeared cleanly. As if he'd never existed behind Dam Ho from the start.

Kwang!

An explosion burst out again.

Dam Ho's flank was crushed. Ho Cheon-myeong's fist that had appeared after opening space struck his flank.

Momentarily his breath was choked off. Though he couldn't breathe properly from the intense pain, Dam Ho forcibly endured the pain and deployed Blood Heaven Kick toward where Ho Cheon-myeong appeared.

Though Blood Heaven Kick had power enough to shatter large trees in one blow, it was useless if it didn't hit.

Ho Cheon-myeong's form had already disappeared.

Dam Ho's eyes and senses chased Ho Cheon-myeong's form.

With a faintly tickling feeling and sixth sense, he could guess where Ho Cheon-myeong would appear next.

Even while being beaten by Ho Cheon-myeong, Dam Ho's senses were being sharply honed and developing. The problem was that Ho Cheon-myeong's space movement was accomplished much faster than Dam Ho could detect, so he absolutely couldn't catch up.

The reason Western Queen Mother Yong Hwa-seol told Dam Ho he couldn't do anything to Ho Cheon-myeong with an imperfect body was for such reason. No matter how trained to the extreme, Dam Ho's left leg was imperfect. Because of that, his reactions inevitably had subtle differences.

For masters like Dam Ho and Ho Cheon-myeong, subtle differences were as vast as heaven and earth, and time enough to do countless things.

Like a cat playing with a mouse, Ho Cheon-myeong was toying with Dam Ho. Having been struck countless times by Ho Cheon-myeong's fists, Dam Ho had become a blood person. Yet Dam Ho showed no sign of giving up or yielding.

He chased Ho Cheon-myeong, and chased again.

In that process, he was hit and beaten countless times.

As time passed, Dam Ho's movements chasing Ho Cheon-myeong became faster, now to the point of being invisible to the eye.

Pababang!

Air burst, and striking sounds continuously echoed.

Now the two people's forms weren't visible, only the sounds of flesh colliding and air bursting echoed.

Dam Ho and Ho Cheon-myeong were moving so fast that even absolute masters like Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon couldn't follow with their vision. As if only they lived in a different time.

Suddenly Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon's gazes met. Instantly their minds connected.

'Now while Ho is holding Ho Cheon-myeong is the last chance to stop the evil technique.'

Without either taking the lead, they squeezed out their last remaining energy and threw their bodies toward the altar.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol was now almost completely drained of blood and dried up. Barely gasping for breath, it wouldn't be strange if his life ended at any moment. Before that, they had to save Cheok Gwan-hyeol and prevent the space above the altar from opening.

Tatak!

Just kicking the altar stairs twice, their forms had already reached near Cheok Gwan-hyeol.

It was the moment both people simultaneously reached out to grab Cheok Gwan-hyeol.

"How impudent."

Suddenly Ho Cheon-myeong opened space and appeared before them.

Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon's eyes widened. Because they never dreamed Ho Cheon-myeong who'd been facing Dam Ho would appear before them.

Jjeoreong!

"Keok!"

"Keurk!"

Instantly the space right ahead burst and the two people flew backward.

At the scene of Cho Yeon-woon flying covered in blood, Dam Ho's eyes bulged.

Kwang!

With a roar, Cho Yeon-woon was stuck into the earth below the altar. With limbs bent grotesquely and flailing, that appearance was serious. Not far from him, Geom Yul-cheon lay face down gasping for breath, and Bang Jin-bo who'd collapsed powerlessly was visible holding his shoulder.

Where Ho Cheon-myeong revealed himself again was right before Taoist Hyeon-so. Naturally Taoist Hyeon-so couldn't react at all.

Ho Cheon-myeong standing before Taoist Hyeon-so's gaze turned toward Dam Ho. And met Dam Ho's eyes.

A smile curved at Ho Cheon-myeong's lips, and an ominous premonition flashed through Dam Ho's mind.

His smile seemed to announce he'd kill Taoist Hyeon-so.

"No!"

Dam Ho threw his body toward Taoist Hyeon-so without care. Then the smile on Ho Cheon-myeong's lips deepened. Because he'd already expected such reaction from Dam Ho. Taoist Hyeon-so was merely bait to shake Dam Ho's reason.

"You're too soft."

Because Dam Ho tried to save Taoist Hyeon-so, a flaw appeared in his whole body. Ho Cheon-myeong didn't miss that gap and deployed Time-Space Sword.

Pwhahwak!

A blood fountain shot up along Dam Ho's spine. Muscles split and bone showed. It was a wound on a different dimension from before. It was strange he didn't die instantly.

Dam Ho could no longer endure and knelt on his left knee.

His steel-like body and will harder than diamond had reached their limit. As if proving that fact, Dam Ho continuously gasped for breath.

"Ah!"

Jong Ri-yeon covered her mouth and sobbed.

The scene of the man she believed strongest under heaven kneeling was so shocking it tore her heart apart.

Ho Cheon-myeong looked down at Dam Ho.

"That is your limit. You seem cold-blooded but actually have warmer emotions than anyone. Because things that make you human still won't let you go. Your master, lover, friends, such things are grabbing your ankles. You pretend to be ruthless to protect them, but actually you're not."

"…"

"With such human emotions, you can never defeat me. And with those legs, you can never follow my Space Step. That is the limit of your existence, and humanity's limit."

Ho Cheon-myeong cruelly mocked Dam Ho.

Dam Ho silently looked up at such Ho Cheon-myeong. Though in a dying state, Dam Ho's gaze hadn't died yet. That gaze made Ho Cheon-myeong's chest feel cold.

Ho Cheon-myeong couldn't understand. How he could have such a gaze even in that state. That gaze irritated him. Until now, no one had looked at him with such challenging eyes.

He wanted to break that gaze by any means. Even when killing, he wanted to give the maximum despair.

There happened to be good sacrifices.

Ho Cheon-myeong turned toward Taoist Hyeon-so and Jong Ri-yeon.

"Watch helplessly from there. Your master and lover dying."

His sinister voice pierced Dam Ho's ears.

Leaving Dam Ho behind, Ho Cheon-myeong moved toward the two people. His intent was clear.

In Dam Ho's bloodshot pupils, Ho Cheon-myeong's back showed.

No one could stop his steps.

Only a few steps remained.

The moment he reached the two people would be the end. For the two people, no future would exist anymore.

Instantly Dam Ho's bloodshot pupils changed to a dark color.

Ho Cheon-myeong's lips curled up.

Without looking back, he could know Dam Ho's situation. Because his despair and helplessness were transmitted through the air.

"Now I'll clean up everything here and cross to the Six Paths for a new challenge."

His gaze turned toward the altar.

Above Cheok Gwan-hyeol's head, cracks were revealing distinct form.

The wall of causality that had blocked him so tediously was also weakening noticeably.

It was the moment he'd longed for so much.

Ho Cheon-myeong's steps naturally quickened. Because he wanted to quickly finish all this situation and climb onto the altar.

That's when it happened.

Ttuduk!

A very small sound echoed in Ho Cheon-myeong's ears.

A small sound that wouldn't be heard without paying attention strangely ominously stimulated Ho Cheon-myeong's heart.

Ho Cheon-myeong involuntarily looked back. Deep furrows formed in his brow. Because Dam Ho was already standing up.

The sound just now was the bone sound when Dam Ho raised his body.

Anger rose in Ho Cheon-myeong's eyes.

"Still you don't come to your senses…"

At that moment, Dam Ho stepped toward him.

Ttududuk!

The sound of bones knocking together flowed out again.

Ho Cheon-myeong's pupils shook.

The bone sound was flowing from Dam Ho's leg. From his left leg that could only limp since childhood due to injury, fine sounds were continuously bursting.

One step, another step.

Dam Ho moved toward Ho Cheon-myeong.

Ttuduk! Ttududuk!

Even during that, the sound of bones knocking continuously flowed.

"This can't be…!"

Disbelief rose on Ho Cheon-myeong's face.

Because even seeing with his own eyes, he couldn't believe it.

Dam Ho's left leg that had been subtly twisted was finding its proper place with bone sounds.

He no longer limped.

Movements that had always been subtly off-balance also became perfect.

Now the sound of bones knocking couldn't be heard.

It was Bone Transformation.

Though limited to his leg, by his own will and internal energy, in that brief moment he'd readjusted the leg bones and muscles that had been misaligned until now.

It was a scene unbelievable even seeing with his own eyes.

"You, did you achieve Bone Transformation? How?"

"I could have healed my leg anytime. But I didn't because if my leg healed completely, I felt I myself would no longer be human."

Dam Ho already stood at the boundary beyond human.

His limping leg was the only human aspect remaining to him. That imperfection paradoxically made Dam Ho recognize himself as human.

Dam Ho now cast off the only human part remaining to him.

To fight Ho Cheon-myeong, he cast off humanity's standards and form.

Dam Ho now was post-human.