Chapter 499

Chapter 499 – In This World and Beyond, Only Moving Forward (3)

The blood flowing from Dam Ho's entire body had already stopped. Because while achieving Bone Transformation, he'd tightened his whole body's muscles to stop bleeding.

For Dam Ho who could control even involuntary muscles at will, it wasn't difficult. Though his mind was hazy from having already lost much blood, the fighting spirit in Dam Ho's eyes never disappeared.

"So you truly intend to go to the end."

Only then did Ho Cheon-myeong realize.

That the way to stop someone like Dam Ho wasn't things like killing acquaintances to inflict despair, but only definitively cutting off his breath.

Murderous intent started surging on his face that hadn't lost its smile until now. He'd cast off the mask he'd been wearing until now.

"Very well, I'll definitively cut off your breath. Come!"

Pat!

At that moment Dam Ho deployed Charging Step.

Ho Cheon-myeong also deployed Space Step and disappeared. He'd torn space and moved.

Seureuk!

At that moment Dam Ho's black, dark pupils moved. His eyes were pointing precisely at Ho Cheon-myeong who was hiding behind the wall of space and moving.

It was proof he was accurately detecting Ho Cheon-myeong's movements.

Ho Cheon-myeong felt his hair stand on end. But he trusted his Time-Space Sword and Space Step.

Just because he detected his whereabouts by sense didn't mean he could follow movements of tearing space and moving.

Chwahwahak!

It was the moment Time-Space Sword tore space and stabbed toward Dam Ho.

Kwang!

An explosion burst out.

"Keup!"

For the first time, a stifled groan flowed from Ho Cheon-myeong's mouth. Because Dam Ho's Shattering Star Punch collided with his Time-Space Sword and dealt considerable shock.

This was the first time his attack was blocked.

When his attack was blocked, Ho Cheon-myeong deployed Space Step again. As if teleporting, he revealed himself behind Dam Ho's back again. It was truly a reaction faster than light. But Dam Ho's reaction caught up with his movement.

Dam Ho had already turned his body and was making eye contact with him.

Kwang!

Before even deploying Time-Space Sword, Dam Ho's counterattack continued.

"Keoup!"

Ho Cheon-myeong took huge shock and retreated back. Shaking arose in such his pupils. Emotional turmoil was revealed through his pupils.

Ho Cheon-myeong strove to hide his agitation and deployed Space Step. But Dam Ho didn't miss such Ho Cheon-myeong's movements and stuck close. No, he preemptively occupied where he'd move.

Speed was different. Destructive power was on another dimension.

Rather than Ho Cheon-myeong who tore space and moved, Dam Ho was faster. Just with his leg becoming complete, Dam Ho was displaying incomparable power to before.

He had to acknowledge it.

Dam Ho free of disability was a completely different being from his previous self.

Even before, he was evaluated as close to perfect, but now he was perfection itself.

A flawlessly perfect martial artist with no flaw or defect.

That was Dam Ho.

Jjeong!

SIngle Void Wall, he shocked the space Ho Cheon-myeong rode and moved through. As space shook, cracks arose in Space Step.

"Keuk!"

Ho Cheon-myeong's pupils shook.

Because this was the first time his path itself was fundamentally blocked.

Single Yang Strike and Five Finger Dark Destruction Fist unfolded consecutively.

Though they couldn't deal huge shock to Ho Cheon-myeong, they were sufficient to subtly interfere with movements. Dam Ho didn't miss that gap.

Kwagagagaga!

His continuous strikes came in like a storm.

Dam Ho didn't give Ho Cheon-myeong room to deploy Space Step. No, he didn't give any chance to counterattack at all.

Dam Ho knew. That the moment he gave Ho Cheon-myeong a chance to move, he'd flee far, far away. If he fled deploying Space Step, there was no way to catch him.

So whether dying or living, everything had to end here.

"Get away!"

Ho Cheon-myeong retreated back and deployed Time-Space Sword. Dam Ho deployed Violent Demon Energy to protect his whole body and advanced. It was will to absolutely not let Ho Cheon-myeong go.

Seogeok!

Time-Space Sword not only cut through Explosive Demon Energy but also left a huge wound on Dam Ho's shoulder. But Dam Ho didn't let out even one scream and changed stance to deploy Six Union Blood Avalanche.

It was Solitary Path's final chapter.

He bet everything on this one move.

"Old man!"

Facing him, Ho Cheon-myeong too raised Time-Space Sword's power to the maximum.

Kwaaa!

Six Harmonies Blood Mountain Crush and Time-Space Sword collided.

Instantly a huge explosion occurred on Mount Zhongnan's summit.

As if a volcano erupted, dust carried by the storm covered the entire area.

Everyone on Mount Zhongnan's summit was swept by the storm and flew backward. Not only Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon, but over a hundred soul sorcerers and even the altar all flew away.

Hookk!

Air that had been pushed out with the explosion returned to find its place again, raising another dust storm.

Dust filling Mount Zhongnan's summit slowly settled after a while. Only then did the interior scene reveal itself.

Dam Ho and Ho Cheon-myeong stood facing each other.

Compared to Ho Cheon-myeong who at least looked intact, Dam Ho's appearance was truly miserable beyond words. He was so broken that finding places not wounded seemed harder than finding wounded places.

Like a reed swaying in wind, Dam Ho was swaying. That he didn't collapse in that state was just surprising.

Six Harmonies Blood Mountain Crush was Solitary Path’s strongest technique that released twenty-four continuous strikes in just one breath. Until now, no one had received all twenty-four continuous strikes. But Ho Cheon-myeong received all twenty-four continuous strikes.

Of course, because of that his insides were terribly broken, but still he stood firm. Ho Cheon-myeong who'd transcended human limits after realizing Time-Space Sword.

No matter how much his body was smashed or what severe internal injuries he suffered, if he just had room to breathe once, he could instantly recover. But Dam Ho's Six Harmonies Blood Mountain Crush had truly extreme power. His organs were completely crushed, and meridians were torn strand by strand. Above all, joints and muscles of both legs and both arms were twisted and destroyed.

Ho Cheon-myeong had never received such severe wounds even once. Having reigned invincible for decades, there was no occasion to receive such wounds.

It was even more so after realizing Time-Space Sword. Since he looked down even on the Four Divine Emperors who were in the same rank, scars remaining on his body was unimaginable.

Having received unexpected severe wounds, recovery time inevitably took longer.

'Ten breaths is sufficient. That much, my body will fully recover again.'

Though he couldn't open his mouth, he could smile.

Though he too received severe wounds, the wounds Dam Ho received were more serious than his. To the point that standing now itself was miraculous, let alone moving. So he could recover his body even with Dam Ho before him.

He planned to twist Dam Ho's neck and kill him the moment he recovered his body. His body had already recovered halfway.

That's when it happened.

Dam Ho who'd been swaying precariously like a reed swept by typhoon suddenly opened his eyes wide.

Two red eyes that seemed like blood would drip any moment from burst capillaries were looking at Ho Cheon-myeong.

'Surely not?'

Ho Cheon-myeong felt an eerie emotion of unknown origin. But he strove to think and console himself that Dam Ho absolutely couldn't move. Because Dam Ho's body condition was more miserable than his.

Jjeojeok!

Instantly, as if mocking Ho Cheon-myeong's expectation, Dam Ho moved.

Like Ho Cheon-myeong's guess, his body condition was the worst. Let alone moving, still breathing while alive itself was miraculous.

His whole body felt like disintegrating, and with each step taken, blood surged up from inside. Still Dam Ho moved.

Wounds of this degree were nothing to him. He'd fought after receiving even worse wounds.

Just not dying was enough.

Fist that fights until exhaling the last breath, that was precisely Solitary Path

One step, another step.

Dam Ho approached Ho Cheon-myeong. Tremendous blood flowed following his footprints.

An urgent expression naturally rose on Ho Cheon-myeong's face. Because his internal injuries weren't fully healed yet but Dam Ho was getting closer.

For the first time, light of fear rose on his face.

Though he'd thought he'd cast off all human emotions from the start, the appearance of Dam Ho approaching having become a blood demon made him recall forgotten human emotions.

"Keu!"

Still he couldn't open his mouth. Couldn't move either.

The method remaining to him was only recovering his body as quickly as possible. Even if aftereffects remained, it couldn't be helped. He narrowed the breathing intervals.

Six, seven, finally he breathed eight times. Meanwhile internal injuries recovered somewhat. But twisted leg tendons still weren't recovered.

Only two breaths remained.

Just two more breaths and his body would recover and he could move.

Kwak!

At the moment of inhaling the ninth breath, Dam Ho grabbed his collar and pulled. Ho Cheon-myeong's breath was cut off and he couldn't breathe.

Ho Cheon-myeong's body was pulled close and the two people's eyes met in midair.

Dam Ho's eyes glowed ominously, and light of fear floated in Ho Cheon-myeong's eyes.

"Don't pretend to be a god."

"Keuup!"

"You're human too."

Kwaaa!

Instantly Ho Cheon-myeong's body was wrapped in Dragon Fist Wind and soared to the sky. Dam Ho had deployed Earth-Heaven Strike.

As both legs left the earth, dizzying floating feeling assaulted Ho Cheon-myeong. Ho Cheon-myeong's body trembled at the unfamiliar feeling experienced for the first time in life.

Just two more breaths and it would be done, but he couldn't do it.

Heaven and earth flipped.

With collar grabbed by Dam Ho, Ho Cheon-myeong's body was driven into the earth.

Kwang!

Ho Cheon-myeong's body stuck upside down in the earth swayed for a moment then collapsed. Dam Ho who'd deployed Earth-Heaven Strike too couldn't rise for a while entangled with him.

Dam Ho who'd been breathing roughly for a while barely raised his upper body and looked at Ho Cheon-myeong.

Ho Cheon-myeong lay sprawled limply with head half caved in. Gray brain matter was flowing out between caved-in skull bones.

"Keuheu!"

A breath sound like air escaping from a leather bag flowed from Ho Cheon-myeong's mouth. Vitality that always overflowed had disappeared, and only death energy filled the breath sound.

No matter that Ho Cheon-myeong had realized Time-Space Sword, with brain matter flowing out, he couldn't recover his body. Just barely holding onto breath with powerful internal energy.

Dam Ho said to such Ho Cheon-myeong.

"Getting hurt, bleeding blood… the same!"

"Heu! Is… that so?"

Ho Cheon-myeong couldn't deny it.

Dam Ho had pulled him who existed in god's realm down to human realm and struck the hammer of death.

No pain was felt.

Whole body nerves were completely severed so even pain wasn't transmitted. No hope existed for him. What remained was only death.

There happened to be one face he wanted to see.

'Lee… Gwan!'

The legendary martial artist called Iron Blood Martial God.

Later than himself but he too saw the Six Paths. But what he saw was also different from his own.

If he himself saw a different world, he saw a distant future.

Having seen a future full of despair mixed with the Six Paths, he chose the path of sealing his own reason to extend his lifespan. Hoping to wake in the despair-filled future and help them.

Ho Cheon-myeong mocked such Lee Gwan's foolishness and used him. At the time he thought that was right, but now like this, he was curious what result Lee Gwan's choice would bring.

That's when it happened.

Kuuuu!

Suddenly the sky screamed and convulsed.

Everyone's gaze turned to the sky.

In the sky, a huge crack was formed.

From within the crack, darkness blacker than pitch black was trying to escape. In the darkness extending strand by strand like tentacles, phantom-like fragments briefly reflected.

"That is?"

Taoist Hyeon-so's eyes widened.

It was a scene he'd never seen in life either. He'd never heard such a story anywhere.

Taoist Hyeon-so urgently asked Ho Cheon-myeong.

"Has the Six Paths opened? The soul sorcerers definitely didn't complete the great ritual."

As his words said, soul sorcerers were sprawled everywhere, and Cheok Gwan-hyeol who'd been the sacrifice was stuck in a wall gasping for breath. That he was still alive meant the great ritual's failure.

Ho Cheon-myeong looked at the crack with eyes whose focus had blurred and said.

"It would have been better to let the great ritual be completed. Rather, it brought about the worst result."

"What does that mean?"

"As the great ritual broke at the last moment, the wall dividing the Six Paths weakened overall. Soon everywhere will be torn apart and cracks will form. Cracks will grow larger and become passages."

"Surely not?"

"It means this world has become an intermediate junction connecting the Six Paths. Those thoroughly separated by the wall of causality can cross to other places through here."

"Primordial Heavenly Venerable."

Taoist Hyeon-so found himself calling Primordial Heavenly Venerable.

He'd grasped the meaning contained in Ho Cheon-myeong's words.

"Can't know what guy will cross into this world through the crack. It would have been better if I'd gone beyond there. If so, not to this extent…"

Ho Cheon-myeong's gaze turned toward Dam Ho.

Dam Ho was no longer looking at Ho Cheon-myeong. His eyes were toward the crack.

Jjeojeojjeok!

Even at that moment, the crack kept growing larger.

The sky's crack had now spread even to Mount Zhongnan's summit. From the crack, ominous energy rose like billowing clouds, densely covering Mount Zhongnan's summit.

Kuuuu!

Mount Zhongnan was crying.

Central Plains, the martial world was crying.

The crack was this world's wound. Different energies were leaking through the wound, and mixing.

"Keuuk!"

"What is this?"

Cho Yeon-woon and Geom Yul-cheon gritted teeth.

As much as reaching absolute realm, their senses too were outstandingly more developed than others. Such their senses were foretelling that something terrible would happen.

Hands and feet trembled, and all body hair stood on end.

The moment exposed to energy protruding from the crack, they felt their breath choke off. For them severely wounded by Ho Cheon-myeong, no strength remained to resist. That was the same for Bang Jin-bo, Eum Yu-kyung and others.

Mount Hua Sect's Taoists too, when exposed to energy flowing from the crack, turned pale and didn't know what to do.

Minds grew hazy, and whole body's blood went crazy. At the feeling they'd melt any moment, they felt like going crazy.

Actually, Mount Zhongnan's flora and fauna exposed to energy flowing from the crack were dying pitch black. Energy spreading like pestilence was dyeing all of Mount Zhongnan black.

Thus Mount Zhongnan instantly became a land of death.

At least Taoist Hyeon-so was barely holding on.

When the crack's energy touched his body, faint immortal energy flowed from his body protecting him. The moment he realized that fact, Taoist Hyeon-so gathered all his party around himself.

However, Dam Ho alone stood alone in a place Taoist Hyeon-so's immortal energy didn't reach.

"Come here, Ho-ya."

Taoist Hyeon-so stretched out his hand, but Dam Ho didn't grasp that hand.

Jong Ri-yeon looked at Dam Ho with desperate eyes.

"Please, come here."

Dam Ho looked at Jong Ri-yeon wordlessly. The moment seeing that endlessly deeply sunken gaze, Jong Ri-yeon felt her heart sink.

"Surely! You?"

Energy flowing from the crack was surging around Dam Ho. It was chaos energy that choked everyone, but it couldn't do anything to Dam Ho. Rather it gently rippled as if comforting Dam Ho.

Like amniotic fluid in a mother's womb, it even gave Dam Ho a comfortable feeling.

That's when it happened.

"…"

A sound inaudible to human ears burst out from within the crack.

Everyone staggered.

Not only those on Mount Zhongnan's summit but all those in the area collapsed and vomited everything inside.

Though definitely hearing no sound with ears, someone's voice was echoing in heads.

"All kneel. The King will descend."

It was a voice that compelled souls.

Those in the Mount Zhongnan area unconsciously knelt.

Like cattle can't move before a butcher, they too couldn't move at the voice.

Through the crack, endlessly deep darkness showed. That appearance was like something's eye. No, it was definitely an eye.

The crack that had blocked this world and the other world was torn, and something in the deepest place had awakened and was looking here.

It waited only for the crack to grow larger. Just a bit wider and it could undo all laws and shackles binding it and cross here.

It called itself 'King'.

Everyone was kneeling at the King's majesty, but Dam Ho alone stood firm.

If the crack couldn't be closed, disaster would occur in this world.

This world that had become the Six Paths' junction point would absolutely not overcome the disaster.

Dam Ho's gaze turned toward Taoist Hyeon-so.

The moment seeing his gaze, Taoist Hyeon-so realized. What Dam Ho was thinking.

Taoist Hyeon-so's voice trembled out.

"Ho… ya!"

"I'll go."

"Ah!"

Taoist Hyeon-so let out a lament and closed his eyes.

He wanted to stop him. But couldn't stop him.

Because he intuited that the moment that eye's owner crossed the crack, this world would turn to hell.

Dam Ho's gaze starting from Taoist Hyeon-so passed through Cho Yeon-woon, Geom Yul-cheon, Bang Jin-bo and others and stopped at Jong Ri-yeon.

A hazy moisture rose in Jong Ri-yeon's eyes that sensed fate.

Couldn't stop him, shouldn't stop him.

If only she could childishly throw a tantrum telling him not to go…

Jong Ri-yeon shed tears and put her hand in her bosom. Her hand that came out again held a small wooden box.

She threw the wooden box hard toward Dam Ho and cried out.

"Come back. I'll wait forever."

Dam Ho received the wooden box and opened it.

Inside the wooden box was pitch-black spiritual medicine.

Dam Ho without a moment's hesitation poured the spiritual medicine into his mouth. Then he felt exhausted energy and internal energy filling again.

"I'll definitely return."

With those words, Dam Ho turned around.

Cho Yeon-woon and Bang Jin-bo gritted teeth seeing that appearance. They wanted to say something. But couldn't. Because the thought arose that words they uttered might become his shackles.

Jjeojeojjeok!

The crack grew even larger, and chaos energy escaping into this world increased exponentially.

Dam Ho moved steps toward the crack in the very center of energy rising like billowing clouds as if covering the world.

From behind his back, Ho Cheon-myeong's voice was heard.

"Yes, go! You suit there more than here. In my place, endless fighting… envious…"

Ho Cheon-myeong's voice faded. Finally his breath had stopped.

That was the end of the giant who'd moved the martial world at will from shadows for decades.

Even in death, he stared at Dam Ho's back with eyes wide open.

Kuuuu!

Energy flowing from the crack grew fiercer.

The King's eye turned toward Dam Ho who walked straight.

"Foolish one, do you dare resist?"

Dam Ho deployed Charging Step and threw his body toward the crack.

His back bent like a bow.

Instantly powerful attraction occurred. It was the unique phenomenon occurring when deploying Shattering Star Punch.

The attraction generated from Dam Ho's body stretched out beyond the crack and pulled all energy without leaving any.

Kuoooo!

Like fish caught in a net, chaos energy struggled. But couldn't escape the attraction net Dam Ho created.

Embracing all that energy, Dam Ho burst Shattering Star Punch toward the huge eye.

Kwaang!

At the unexpected strike, the King screamed and retreated. The crack that had been growing endlessly convulsed as if trying to spit out the heterogeneous being called Dam Ho again. But it couldn't push Dam Ho out.

Dam Ho moved steps one step, another step toward the crack's depths.

Before his eyes, a huge world, the Six Paths, unfolded.

This place was a new world, his battlefield.

Behind his back, the crack was closing.

He no longer felt the gazes of all who loved him. Still Dam Ho didn't look back.

He was one who advanced alone.

The master of Solitary Path.