Kugukukung...

With the sound of a beast’s cry, the Snow Mountain began to tremble.

The Lion's Roar was a sound-based martial art, but it was a tangible technique with definite substance.

The sound itself became a massive shockwave, striking the enemy with the power of a martial technique.

At the same time, it was an attack that shattered sinister sorcery, like the roar of a lion breaking through evil spells.

Unlike me, who had prepared in advance, Cheolduyong was completely exposed to the Lion's Roar.

"...Interesting."

But it didn’t cause significant damage.

Both of us knew each other’s martial arts too well.

“I didn’t think you’d be able to bring me down with the Lion’s Roar... Did you think I was affected by it?”

Paaat!

Cheolduyong swiftly moved his body.

He swung his long arms downward, moving in a disorienting way.

Do-In's eyes widened as he locked onto Cheolduyong’s position.

Left, right.

Cheolduyong kept changing direction and charged again.

Pabababack!

Chaaaack!

Cheolduyong's sharp claws slashed diagonally.

Yongjosu.

Yongjosu was originally a Shaolin technique.

Because of that, Do-In was able to respond.

Kagagak!

But the difference in physical stature was too great.

It was a fight between a human and a giant.

Fwoooom!

Do-In was pushed back by Cheolduyong’s strength.

However, he didn’t fly far.

“Huuh!”

Kwung.

Cheongeunchu.

He planted his legs into the ground and absorbed the shock.

“Now, that’s a good start.”

Just enduring the first exchange was impressive.

But considering the current situation, it wasn’t great news.

Cheolduyong was not yet using his spiritual abilities or the power of the Dragon Gate.

He was only using Shaolin’s martial arts.

This wasn’t a battle between a human and a spiritual being, but rather a fight between two Shaolin martial artists.

“Yongjosu has served its purpose. Now…”

Paaang!

Once again, Cheolduyong’s form disappeared.

He reappeared right in front of Do-In.

“Na-han-kwon.”

Not with his sharp claws, but with his fists.

Cheolduyong’s fists shot forward like lightning.

Do-In hastily responded.

He too adopted a similar posture to Cheolduyong’s.

Kwaaaang!

The fists collided.

But the difference was stark.

Do-In was large, but he was still a human.

On the other hand, Cheolduyong’s size was comparable to mine.

While his form resembled a human, his size was far from human.

A giant versus a human.

The result was inevitable.

Tchurtchurtchark!

“Keugh!”

Do-In’s left arm went limp.

With a single exchange, his arm was broken.

“Sahyeong. You’ve been hiding your strength? You’re holding up better than I expected.”

“You bastard... Get a grip... Keugh...!”

Paaat!

Cheolduyong swiftly closed the distance again.

He expertly unleashed the Na-han-kwon.

Kwaduduk!

Do-In focused all his energy to block Cheolduyong's attack.

But blocking it with his broken arm was impossible.

Puhhh!

Cheolduyong’s Na-han-kwon struck Do-In’s chest with tremendous force.

Kwaaaang!

The overwhelming shock sent Do-In flying helplessly.

There was no time to use Cheongeunchu.

Tuk!

Kwaaaang!

Do-In crashed into the frozen rocks, breaking them apart and embedding himself into the ground.

“Keuheuhe...”

He coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“Did you really think you could stop me with such a thing?”

Cheolduyong muttered in disappointment.

“You were more fun than the others... But that’s about it.”

Suuuuk!

A cold wind swept through the area.

The battle between Shaolin and Shaolin had just ended.

The figure standing before me now wasn’t Shaolin, but Cheolduyong from the Snow Mountain.

The cold began to gather around his head.

“I still don’t understand. You must have known this would happen. Why did you come back?”

He spoke as if he couldn’t comprehend.

“You think you can stop me? With just this kind of power?”

Anger filled his voice, but there was a hint of pity in it as well.

“…If you had just run, you could have lived.”

Cheolduyong was a being with overwhelming power.

Even if someone had tried to stop him, there was no way they would have caught Do-In.

He had deliberately let him go.

He said he wanted to eradicate all humans, but the one person he was closest to and relied on, Do-In, was someone he couldn’t bring himself to kill.

Thud.

Cheolduyong slowly walked toward Do-In.

100 paces.

Thud.

90 paces.

“Is this the ending Sahyeong wanted?”

80 paces.

“Answer me. Is this how you wanted to die, freezing to death alone in this place?”

70 paces.

“Where did that confident attitude go? You should have begged that spiritual being on your knees to stop me.”

60 paces.

Do-In staggered as he barely got up.

“The Na-han... I must curse it... I must curse the bloodshed, the filthy things Shaolin made me do... I must have cursed them to death.”

50 paces.

He continued, barely able to speak, while coughing up blood.

“Shaolin... I must have thought they were blinded by the inner core...”

“You think they weren’t blinded? How many spiritual beings did they make me kill to take their lives?”

40 paces.

“Even if they were all monsters who lost their minds... it doesn’t change anything.”

30 paces.

“Shaolin ordered me to kill even other humans.”

20 paces.

“It doesn’t change! They killed my parents and forced me onto the path of hell!”

“…That was your destiny.”

Cheolduyong stopped in his tracks.

“Destiny?”

He spoke as if incredulous.

“Hehe... Destiny? So, you say it’s destiny that I walk the path of hell? These filthy, selfish monks... they mock me to the end.”

He couldn’t hide his fury.

The biting cold wind grew stronger.

There was no more hesitation.

Cheolduyong began moving toward Do-In again, intending to kill him.

Just ten paces away now.

“Now, it's over. I’ll sever this cursed fate once and for all!”

Cheolduyong thrust his thick head forward.

It was a killing blow.

Seeing this, Do-In closed his eyes.

Was he giving up and accepting death?

No, that wasn’t it.

Do-In extended his right arm.

He clenched a fist as hard as Cheolduyong’s head.

He only pushed lightly.

There was still a bit of distance between them.

Do-In’s final attack couldn’t have reached Cheolduyong.

But…

Jjjeeoong!

A deep wound appeared on Cheolduyong’s chest.

“Keuheuek!”

Cheolduyong, struck by the unexpected blow, pulled back.

“Baekbo Shin-kwon...?”

Baekbo Shin-kwon.

As the name suggests, it was a high-level martial art.

A legendary martial technique said to strike enemies from up to one hundred paces away.

Of course, Do-In didn’t perfectly replicate the Baekbo Shin-kwon.

He had only covered about ten paces.

Even so, its power was gradually diminishing, failing to cause significant damage.

But Cheolduyong’s blue, jewel-like heart began to crack.

“Keuheuek!”

A scarlet flash erupted from it.

It was to melt the frozen heart inside him.

Cheolduyong was unstable.

He wasn’t in a human form anymore.

Nor was he in his spiritual beast form.

Do-In had aimed for this.

The form changed by the power of the Dragon Gate.

His blue heart, visible even with the naked eye.

If Do-In could shake that, he thought it might return Cheolduyong to his original form.

“Just… with this...?”

The attempt was good.

But Cheolduyong was no easy target.

Jjjeo-jjeo-jjeoj!

The cold energy of the Snow Mountain gathered into his body.

He blocked the flash of red light and healed the cracks in his heart.

“Keuheuek... Hoo…”

Cheolduyong glared at Do-In with cold eyes.

Had Do-In been a little stronger, that last strike would have caused great damage.

It could have even knocked him down with just that one attack.

“Should I thank you…?”

But he didn’t break with just one blow.

Cheolduyong’s body became sturdier.

From the unstable form, he gradually transformed back into a stable spiritual beast form.

“Sahyeong failed.”

Thud.

Cheolduyong walked toward Do-In once again.

The cold energy gathered around his massive head.

And with it, he attempted to crush Do-In.

Kwaaaang!

Cheolduyong’s head struck the ground with enough force to destroy the mountain.

“Keuheuek…”

But the moment where Cheolduyong would kill Do-In did not come.

“Gomodo…?”

I grabbed Do-In’s neck, pulling him away swiftly.

“Why… did you…”

He must have wanted to ask why I intervened.

But before he could, I already got to him.

Krrr...

Cheolduyong growled low.

Unlike me, who could speak freely at any time, he couldn’t express himself before death.

I found it unfortunate.

“Are you really going to side with humans?”

Cheolduyong said coldly.

“Death with a tail. Is that truly your choice?”

Kudududuk.

Plants buried deep in the Snow Mountain began to grow.

Thick roots wrapped around Do-In’s body.

At least this way, he wouldn’t get entangled.

Cheolduyong assumed his stance.

It seemed like he was feeling a little bit of excitement after his body loosened up from the recent battle.

“Isn’t this an interesting fight? The Shaolin, who claim to save all sentient beings, trying to kill humans.”

His tone shifted.

No longer speaking casually, now he treated me as a real enemy, addressing me formally.

“The evil beings of the Snow Mountain, protecting humans.”

Cheolduyong smiled bitterly.

“Heh… well, no need to answer.”

Kugooouuu...

I could feel Cheolduyong drawing deep power from his lower dantian.

This power was far beyond what he used against Do-In.

He was more powerful now.

“I’ll defeat you and enlighten you.”

It seemed like he still hadn’t abandoned his initial plan.

“And then I will start by killing all humans, beginning with the Heavenly Demon Sect.”

Killing all humans was his goal.

“I’ll tell you something interesting.”

Cheolduyong pointed one hand at the sky.

Then, with the other hand, he pointed to the ground.

“Heaven and Earth, I alone am supreme.”

It was a familiar stance, with a familiar phrase.

Cheolduyong’s inner power surged exponentially.

It seemed he was intoxicated by his omnipotence, even laughing a little.

He tried to speak to me.

“The leader of this place is…”

But he couldn’t finish his words.

When I assumed the same posture as him.

One hand raised to the sky.

The other pointing to the ground.

Heaven and Earth.

I alone am supreme.

Krrr...

But I didn’t stop there.

With one hand grabbing the sky.

The other gripping the earth.

And then, I moved greatly.

Geongon Da Nooi (乾坤大挪移).

Cheolduyong widened his eyes in disbelief.

“Heaven and Earth, I alone am supreme.”

He had claimed to be the greatest being, the ruler of the world.

That’s what he must have meant.

But I had a few things to tell him.

First and foremost:

The leader of this place… was me.

That was something he couldn’t simply dismiss.

But there was something that truly angered me.

The fact that he dared to speak of the Heavenly Demon Sect, which I hold dear.

For a being like him, acting without restraint…

“The hawk is weak.”

Cheolduyong.

You need to be taught a lesson.