Chapter 819: Our Boys Are a Bit Rough (4)

 

Their feet didn't touch the ground. Their bodies plummeted at a terrifying speed.

But neither of them paid attention to such trivial things.

Shwiiing!

Chung Myung's sword split into dozens. The dense killing intent embedded within the sword's shadow shot straight toward Jang Il-so.

"Hah!"

Jang Il-so let out a brief scoff, gathering a formidable force in his right hand.

Swoosh!

In a single sweep, Jang Il-so's hand shredded through the incoming sword shadows. And, without a moment's delay, he surged toward Chung Myung.

There was no retreat.

This wasn't solid ground; there was no place for either of them to gain steady footing while falling mid-air. Even the most exceptional martial artist could not freely maneuver under such circumstances.

Chung Myung's courage, his precise footwork, the very foundation of his daring spirit, was somewhat weakened here.

But in Chung Myung's eyes, there was not the slightest hesitation.

He thrust his sword at Jang Il-so's outstretched hand that seemed poised to crush his throat.

Crunch!

The sound of the blade biting into something solid echoed as the sword lodged into the descending force. But this alone wasn't enough to entirely block the force pressing in from all sides.

At that moment—

Thrum!

The hilt of Chung Myung's sword started to tremble violently. The small tremors grew, and soon the entire sword was vibrating from side to side.

Whoosh!

In an instant, the sword split apart Jang Il-so's force, tearing it to shreds.

Jang Il-so's eyes widened.

This was something even the great Jang Il-so had never seen before. To penetrate and destabilize an overwhelming force was something he had never believed possible.

But there was no time for surprise.

At that very moment, the tip of Chung Myung's sword was tracing the delicate pattern of a plum blossom. It blossomed with an astonishing speed, heading straight for Jang Il-so.

A small, charming flower.

But inside, it was deadly. Even Jang Il-so couldn't take it lightly, and he swung his hand to block the plum blossom.

Crunch!

Jang Il-so crushed the blossom with his grip. Before his overwhelming force, the flower was frail and insignificant.

However, at that moment, Jang Il-so saw three more blossoms flying towards him.

One moved swiftly, another gracefully, and the last was charged with fierce strength.

They were similar, yet each flower was distinct.

"Playing tricks!"

Jang Il-so swung his hand again, and all three blossoms were shredded. His blue energy, akin to a blazing flame, incinerated the flowers into a sapphire glow.

But it wasn't over yet.

Right after, Jang Il-so saw a dozen more blossoms flying at him.

And then more blossomed behind them. Flowers upon flowers, blooming until there were hundreds, and finally, thousands.

In the desolate air of this barren gorge, plum blossom sword shadows bloomed like a crimson storm.

Plum Blossom Sword Technique – The Chaotic Plum Blossoms Scattered Across the World.

The blossoms Chung Myung created spread across the sky.

"Urk!"

Even the great Jang Il-so couldn't hide his astonishment. His gaze was filled with nothing but plum blossoms.

With a fierce glint in his eyes, Jang Il-so clenched his fists. From both hands, black lightning surged.

So rapid that it was almost invisible, his fists struck continuously.

The Repeating Fist of the Shura, Dark Thunder of Heaven.

"Haaaah!"

"Graaah!"

The distance between them was barely five steps.

A distance where a sword could reach with a stretch. Where a fist could shatter upon impact.

At that distance, the plum blossom cloud collided head-on with the storm of dark thunder.

BOOOM!

The climbers frantically scaling the cliff stopped in awe, mouths agape.

Even those shooting arrows in desperation, those fiercely battling in the valley, both the Mount Hua and Maninbang disciples, halted.

Even the sect leaders, who were risking everything in combat, were captivated by the spectacle.

'What… is that?'

Namgung Hwang's eyes trembled.

This was not a sight from the mortal realm.

Where in the world could one witness flowers colliding with thunder?

"...the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua?"

A murmur escaped Namgung Hwang’s open mouth.

Jang Il-so's remarkable skill was hardly a surprise. In the world of Sapae, only the strong survived.

If Jang Il-so and Maninbang were even slightly weaker, they would have been swallowed up long ago by other forces like the Hao Gate or the Black Dragon Stronghold.

Jang Il-so, who had managed to build and grow Maninbang in the face of such ruthless competition, was why he was known as the Tyrant.

But Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon was different.

'How is that child matching the Tyrant?'

It was impossible.

But he couldn’t deny what he saw. At this moment, Chung Myung was undoubtedly matching Jang Il-so blow for blow.

The countless flowers seemed to draw Namgung Hwang’s very soul toward them.

'What kind of sword is that...?'

How could he know?

This was the legendary Plum Blossom Sword Technique, revived in Kangho after a hundred years.

BOOOM!

Thunder intertwined with flowers, creating a massive explosion. Ripped lightning and crushed blossoms scattered everywhere as both Chung Myung and Jang Il-so were thrown back.

"Get back!"

"Take cover!"

The disciples of the Nine Great Sects screamed as the fragments of energy came crashing down.

But amidst the chaos, a few who still couldn't tear their eyes from the clash saw it clearly.

Chung Myung and Jang Il-so, both propelled backward, now kicked off the air as if it were solid ground and rushed at each other even faster than before.

Chung Myung's descending sword and Jang Il-so's upward-striking fist met in midair.

BOOM!

Clang! Clang-clang-clang! Clang!

Sword and fist pushed against each other.

Their hands trembled violently, and the sword seemed close to snapping under the strain.

Locked in this intense clash, Chung Myung and Jang Il-so’s eyes met with a fierceness that even their weapons couldn't match.

Ecstasy and disgust. Instinct and reason.

Their eyes shot aggressive glares at one another, embodying emotions that defied definition.

The two fell, bodies pressed against each other, whirling downward.

"You...!"

Jang Il-so growled, his pale face twisted in rage.

‘He's getting even stronger?’

Did he hold back on the cliff?

Clang!

Chung Myung’s sword pushed against Jang Il-so’s hand with ferocity.

With his inner power at its peak, Chung Myung's energy surged explosively within him. It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced since being reborn.

Crunch.

Chung Myung’s teeth ground together. His blood surged backward, and every muscle in his body screamed in agony.

"Heh heh."

Seeing Chung Myung’s expression, a suppressed laugh escaped Jang Il-so’s lips.

"You look like you’re enjoying this!"

BOOM!

Jang Il-so thrust Chung Myung away with immense force.

"Haaargh!"

And with a single leap, he closed the gap faster than Chung Myung, who had been thrown back.

Wham!

As Jang Il-so lunged toward him, Chung Myung pressed his feet against the cliff, dodging and widening the distance with his Plum Blossom Step.

BOOOM!

The spot where Jang Il-so’s fist struck the cliff caved inward.

Rumble!

The cliff, bearing Jang Il-so's force, shook as if struck by an earthquake. Broken rocks fell, tumbling down.

But Chung Myung and Jang Il-so moved faster, exchanging strikes as they ran along the cliff, hurling punches and sword strikes at each other.

Dozens of sword shadows rained down like a storm, while hundreds of fist shadows bloomed like clouds. Each path they crossed left deep scars as if a giant dragon had clawed through the cliff.

Slice!

At that moment, Chung Myung’s sword carved a wound into Jang Il-so’s shoulder.

Crunch!

At the same time, Jang Il-so’s fist hit Chung Myung’s side.

Both the sword and fists intensified.

Chung Myung, his face covered in blood, bared his red-stained teeth in a grin. There wasn’t a trace of a serene monk left in his eyes, which radiated murderous intent.

Jang Il-so was the same.

His lips curled up, his twisted face brimming with a fanatical, maniacal smile.

BOOM!

Jang Il-so’s fist struck Chung Myung head-on, driving him into the cliff.

“Chung Myung!”

Baek Cheon screamed, his voice tearing through the air. But before his scream even ended, Chung Myung burst through the cliff wall, bringing his sword down on Jang Il-so with an unyielding force.

BOOM!

Jang Il-so blocked the blow with crossed arms, but in that moment, Chung Myung's foot lashed out, slamming into his chin.

Thwack!

Jang Il-so’s body was flung back like a cannonball. His body struck the cliff and then bounced back into the air, his eyes catching the image of the sun shining overhead.

"Ha... ha-hah!"

How long had it been?

Since his body had been thrown back by another’s strength, forcing him to look up at the sun.

Jang Il-so flipped his body, kicking off the air. Or rather, he tried to. But Chung Myung was already flying toward him at an even faster speed.

Boom.

Chung Myung slammed into Jang Il-so, forcing him to lose his footing and hurtling him into the basin below, stripping him of any leverage.

“Hye Yoooon!”

As if on cue, golden energy surged upward from below.

Crouching, Chung Myung stepped on the rising power and launched himself again toward Jang Il-so. The tip of the Plum Blossom Sword of Dark Fragrance surged upward, as though it would pierce the heavens.

The sword's edge trembled slightly, creating countless plum blossoms in its wake. The blossoms bloomed and spread rapidly, transforming into thousands of petals that spiraled around in the air.

“Raaahhh!”

All the petals shot toward Jang Il-so in unison.

Plum Blossom Sword Technique – Plum Blossom Rainstorm.

A rain of flowers fell from the sky, sweeping everything clean and purging the world.

Seeing the downpour of blossoms, a wild light flickered in Jang Il-so’s eyes. For the first time, the relaxed expression left his face entirely.

“You arrogant brat!”

Jang Il-so’s long coat flared as his eyes burned blue like lightning. Blue flames erupted across his entire body, blazing fiercely.

Azure Flame Fighting Arts – Severing Soul Flame Strike.

Blue flames, flickering like a serpent’s tongue, enveloped Jang Il-so’s entire form, blocking the incoming plum blossom sword energy.

But the blossoms continued to hammer down on Jang Il-so’s blue aura without ceasing.

If ten weren’t enough, then a hundred.

If a hundred weren’t enough, then a thousand.

If even a thousand wasn’t enough, then ten thousand blows would break through.

All rivers begin with a single drop. Gather enough, and they become streams, rivers, and, finally, vast oceans.

The pouring rain became a river and then a waterfall, pressing down on Jang Il-so.

Thoom!

Pressed by the plum blossom sword energy, Jang Il-so was gradually driven back, his body burrowing deeper into the cliff face.

“Kuh… Kugh!”

Jang Il-so’s eyes were bloodshot, and the whites of his eyes turned crimson.

“This… this brat…!”

“Jang Il-sooo!”

Gathering the last drop of his inner power, Chung Myung launched himself like a meteor straight at Jang Il-so.

“Diiieeee!”

BOOOOOOOM!

Chung Myung and Jang Il-so crashed through the cliff face, tearing deeper and deeper inside.