In Jeong Cheol’s eyes, Ho Cheon-an was a monster.
This monster had another chilling feature.
It was the explosive growth potential.
Someone who had just reached the preliminary stage of Peak and couldn’t even properly utilize it had, within half a year, already stepped into the end of Peak. An overwhelming growth rate that even the Five Great Clans or Nine Great Sects couldn’t match.
[It won’t take long.]
Jeong Cheol recalled the last words Ho Cheon-an had spoken at the Tang Clan. Could it be that this Ho Cheon-an is a monster who can even foresee his own growth?
With such a growth rate, he might really catch up to me.
Jeong Cheol felt fear.
It wasn’t that he was afraid of losing to Ho Cheon-an.
He was terrified that all his patience and effort might disappear without yielding any fruit.
Losing to Ho Cheon-an and being remembered not as a giant who left a mark in the history of the Martial World, but rather as just a tool to glorify Ho Cheon-an’s myth—that thought terrified him.
‘I must eliminate him…!’
Even with such intent, Jeong Cheol couldn’t draw his sword rashly.
Ho Cheon-an had already established himself in Jeong Cheol’s mind as a three-headed six-armed monster.
‘Even if I draw my sword and rush in, can I truly eliminate Ho Cheon-an?’
It should be an easy task.
With actions moving at best half a breath to one breath a day, leaving only the weakest Ho Cheon-an and Tang So-yeol behind, it was just a repetition of circumstances.
At any appropriate timing, with all his might in using his techniques, even the mere Peak Expert Ho Cheon-an would have to yield.
Yet, Jeong Cheol’s hands and feet felt frozen, unable to move.
Could it really be so?
Could Ho Cheon-an truly be such an easily defeated opponent? Is it possible that he is already predicting the current situation?
Wasn’t he the one who showed skills and strategies beyond what one could imagine?
Perhaps even this vulnerable appearance was staged.
Could it be that Ho Cheon-an anticipated my every move and is trying to lure me in as bait?
There might be a master ambushing here who defeated Ak Gyeong-cheol, and there could be tricks in place that Jeong Cheol could never foresee.
Such doubts and hesitations were binding Jeong Cheol’s hands and heart, which should have drawn his sword.
Unable to shake off his psychological shrinkage, Jeong Cheol merely followed behind his group, and this trail continued until today, when they were to raid the Odokmun’s drug field.
Upon hearing the bell signaling the raid and seeing Ho Cheon-an’s group disperse, Jeong Cheol contemplated for a moment and decided to first check the cave where Ho Cheon-an’s group had entered. The outcome of the raid on the drug field was already a foregone conclusion, but he was more concerned about the cave they uncovered on the way there.
Cautiously entering, the scene before Jeong Cheol was one of blue stones emitting a green light, alongside characters glowing in blue, nourished by the power of those stones.
Kukuku!
Feeling the periodically strong vibrations, Jeong Cheol instinctively realized this formation was a fortuitous event. Faced with a formation that emitted incredibly strange vibrations and mysterious lights, Jeong Cheol felt his head grow cold. Witnessing such a marvelous and bizarre phenomenon restored the sanity that had been consumed by fear of Ho Cheon-an.
With his reason regained, Jeong Cheol thought while gazing at the blue light of the formation.
Ho Cheon-an, who subdued the Odokmun’s drug field, would surely return to take something away from here. And Ho Cheon-an would grow even stronger.
‘The longer I hesitate, the more I will be caught up.’
Jeong Cheol sensed it was time to take a gamble. Ho Cheon-an’s plan was not clean. While raiding the Odokmun’s drug field, he must have also taken on fortuitous events, which probably meant he had to bear some gaps.
Who knows when this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity might come again?
What if this, too, is a trap? If so, then I would willingly jump into the trap. To catch a tiger, one must enter its den. If there is a trap, I would break through it and, even as a rag, I will definitely kill Ho Cheon-an.
“It’s been a while.”
With that determination, Jeong Cheol closed the stone door, cutting off his escape route, and appeared before Ho Cheon-an’s group.
* *
The moment the name Yongji Maeng was mentioned, my head spun.
In my mind, Yongji Maeng was already a figure that had exited from the scene. It wasn’t an issue of my consciousness; Yongji Maeng had already outlived his usefulness in this game.
There were countless people who flickered and extinguished in the world of the Outcast Faction like stars.
While he had accomplished something big, he had ultimately been caught by the Imperial Army and sentenced to a harsh punishment, so I thought everyone would lose interest.
However, it seemed Jeong Cheol had a deep interest in Yongji Maeng.
He moved enough to do so directly.
No one expected someone would track Yongji Maeng instead of Ho Cheon-an, and Jeong Cheol’s appearance was completely unforeseen.
No, both I-seol and Jeong Cheol, why are they all so obsessed with Yongji Maeng?
While Iseol could be explained, I genuinely couldn’t understand why Jeong Cheol was interested.
In Jeong Cheol’s eyes, Yongji Maeng was merely a Peak Expert with no significant connection and, although he might have schemed a bit, he was just a person who had been rejected by I-seol and received a harsh punishment.
I felt an immense sense of unfairness, but I didn’t have the time to feel that.
“This place will become your grave today.”
Jeong Cheol’s killing intent was palpable. It burst from him like an unstoppable tide, seizing control of the surroundings.
“Guh!”
“Ugh…!”
Ho Cheon-an’s group gasped lightly in response to Jeong Cheol’s imposing presence. The moment I made contact with Jeong Cheol’s energy, I, too, involuntarily gasped. It was just energy, but it felt as if I had been struck by something heavy and dull.
Truly, Hwa-gyeong.
As a Martial Artist who reached the upper realm and achieved the integration of Qi, the pressure was qualitatively different from ordinary energy.
“This is disappointing.”
I took a hasty breath to buy time.
I had no hope myself, but if I bought time for others, who knows what might come out of it?
“Didn’t you say you would accept my challenge at any time?”
“Right. But what you did wasn’t exactly a normal challenge, was it?”
“A not legitimate challenge? I don’t understand what you mean.”
I feigned ignorance while pulling a smirk to irritate Jeong Cheol’s calmness, but Jeong Cheol remained icy.
“I have tracked movements of the Podalap Palace, of you becoming Yongji Maeng, of you severing ties with the Sokryeong Sect, and of the chaos you caused in the Dark Dragon Sect. What use is it to deny after directly hitting the Odokmun’s domain?”
“Humph, you too, while doing something inappropriate in the Tang Clan, cannot evade the responsibility of the current Tang Clan,” I shot back. “To strike you, I must first target the Sadoryeon who is your backing, don’t you think?”
“That’s true.”
Jeong Cheol drew his sword in agreement with my words.
“Thus, I will undoubtedly kill you here today. A mere Sacheon Outcast who I thought was no hindrance to my plans, I spared you, yet who knew that this Sacheon Outcast would ruin my plans and tighten my neck?”
Pazuzuzuz!
Just looking at Jeong Cheol’s sword was enough to take my breath away; a massive flow of energy began to condense.
Miss Yeo Il-ye’s full-force energy was like a constellation.
The overwhelming energy surrounding Jeong Cheol was beyond that. It resembled a frail layer of energy precariously stacked upon a solid base. The image of violent waves rolling and undulating with energy was enough to estimate its power.
“Even if the whole world learns of what happens here today, and if this Jeong Cheol is pointed out as a petty person, I will not be one of the defeated opponents who fell beneath your hand!”
“What nonsense…”
The next moment, Jeong Cheol stomped the ground.
“Master!”
“Yes!”
Miss Yeo Il-ye and Hyeok Gi-rin charged out simultaneously. The first to strike was Miss Yeo Il-ye. The energy from the Jeomchang Faction’s signature technique, Il-su Cho-hyeon, radiated with equal intensity to Jeong Cheol.
Kuuwuuuuuuu!
Wrapped in her entire body with powerful energy, Miss Yeo Il-ye unleashed her sword wrapped in a star-like energy, seemingly determined to pour everything into a single strike, emitting a momentum almost equal to Jeong Cheol’s.
Kwaaaang!
The swords of Miss Yeo Il-ye and Jeong Cheol clashed head-on. When the two people’s swords collided, a tremendous shockwave and fragments of energy burst out in all directions. The ground at the point of collision was deeply caved in by the tremendous collision of force.
“Ugh!”
Miss Yeo Il-ye was the first to be pushed back from that collision of strength.
Though they matched in energy and size, the gap in their realms was too great. The defensive arts of Miss Yeo Il-ye shattered, and she was forced back, spitting blood.
Next up was Hyeok Gi-rin.
Hyeok Gi-rin’s attacking swordplay, the sting of the Four-Finger Saber Technique was definitely fierce. Currently at the Peak Stage, having attained realization, his capabilities were close to Hwa-gyeong.
Hyeok Gi-rin chose to eliminate unnecessary variations and elevate the quality of his attacks. With my level being completely unable to distinguish, two streams of swords targeted both upper and lower parts of Jeong Cheol.
“Ah…!”
Cha-jang!!
Seeing Hyeok Gi-rin attack, I realized a mistake too late, but the attack had already been unleashed. Jeong Cheol’s eyes flashed, and he followed with two downward slashes that knocked away both streams.
The Nangya Sword.
Like a wolf lunging at its prey, the essence of the sword style utilized upward, downward, or lateral cuts to gain the advantage. Hyeok Gi-rin’s double-tracked sword, which he concentrated, was a delectable morsel for the Nangya swordplay.
It struck me that we should have shared information about Jeong Cheol beforehand, but it was just a thought arriving too late.
“Ugh!”
Having attacked only to find himself completely outmatched, Hyeok Gi-rin’s stance faltered.
Seeing this as an opportunity, Jeong Cheol intended to attack, but he grimaced and could only twist his body.
A hidden weapon thrown by Tang Do-yeon had aimed for his vital points.
Tang Do-yeon’s expression wasn’t particularly good. I could guess the reason. During the Odokmun subjugation operation, she must have drained much of her hidden weapons, leaving her with significantly fewer.
“Be careful! The Nangya Sword is a martial art based on sequential strikes! Up and down, or left and right! Most techniques rely on rebound or linkage!”
“I understand!”
“Knowing even the essence of the Nangya Sword… Have I found an additional reason to end your life today?”
His expression, earlier one that seemed like it would kill me twice, had transformed into one that seemed ready to kill me three times.
After that, a brief pause ensued.
This brief respite was due to the Nine Yin of the Black Cat.
Ssss!
Regardless of the realm level, the Nine Yin, known for being one of the strongest forms of energy in the world, began to steadily freeze Jeong Cheol’s energy.
Wasn’t it the Nine Yin of Rano Jingbu that had even infiltrated the intense energy of Jeong Cheol?
10 seconds ago was already influencing Jeong Cheol.
Realizing the unexpected strength of Nine Yin, Jeong Cheol shifted his focus entirely toward Black Cat.
“Ugh!”
Jeong Cheol’s choice was straightforward. He focused most of his overwhelming energy, which had pressured the entire group, onto the Black Cat. The Black Cat’s face turned pale promptly, exerting all her strength.
Shisik!
To relieve the pressure being placed upon her, I and Tang So-yeol threw our hidden weapons. They were effortlessly blocked, but they allowed Hyeok Gi-rin a chance to attack again.
And from the side, the whip thrown by Tang Do-yeon.
To endure the simultaneous assault directed at Black Cat, Jeong Cheol calmly took a step back to alleviate the pressure.
It seemed Jeong Cheol intended to exhaust all of our hidden weapons and had resolved to take his time with the exchange of offense and defense.
“Ugh!”
Black Cat, having met Jeong Cheol’s attacking energy, staggered back, spilling residual energy and shock. Though hurt by the confrontation with Jeong Cheol, a portion of his energy remained frozen.
“Haaaah!”
Hyeok Gi-rin extended his sword toward the frozen blade of Jeong Cheol.
As a result, some of the frozen part of Jeong Cheol’s energy shattered, but the gains Hyeok Gi-rin could achieve were limited to merely scratching Jeong Cheol’s blade.
In contrast, Black Cat’s Nine Yin had definitely lost momentum compared to before. Facing concentrated pressure from Jeong Cheol and receiving a direct blow, her condition was naturally in disarray.
“Haaah….”
Seeing Black Cat’s condition, I sensed it was time and took a deep breath. If this continued, Black Cat would crumble. Even if Miss Yeo Il-ye joined after treating her internal injuries, it wouldn’t alleviate the burden on Black Cat.
I took a deep breath and handed over all the remaining hidden weapons to Tang So-yeol, stepping forward.
Now, I’d act as a bait.
The time had come for a life-and-death gamble.
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