Chapter 143

It was at that moment.

Mosundo’s face, which had been wearing a satisfied smile after his advanced strike, suddenly stiffened.

He realized that the thing torn apart along with the tree wasn’t a person—it was only Heuk-ui.

And just then, from behind him, more hidden weapons came flying.

Whirrrrr!

From behind the tree at the rear, throwing stars spun wildly in all directions, hurtling toward him.

Seeing the hidden weapons, Mosundo shouted in anger.

“With this kind of trash?!”

Ttittittitting!

Now that Mosundo had broken through the wall, deflecting those throwing stars was no challenge at all.

He easily swatted them away and immediately launched his strike at the tree from which they had come.

Kwaaaang!

The tree trunk exploded into splinters once again.

But there was still no sign of Gyeonjung hiding behind the tree.

Frowning at his failure to find Gyeonjung, Mosundo glanced upward.

The tree, now missing its base, was slowly toppling right over his head.

“Hmph!”

A slowly falling tree was no threat at all.

So Mosundo moved aside to dodge it—but then a thought struck him.

He launched a strike at the falling tree.

He wondered if the enemy might be hiding behind it.

“Hup!”

Kwaaaang!

Even after shattering the tree falling above his head, Gyeonjung was nowhere to be seen.

Only the upper fragments of the tree fell behind him.

Boom!

As the tree’s upper parts hit the ground, broken branches and stones scattered in all directions.

Suddenly, as if rising from the leaves, Gyeonjung appeared, using the flying debris to launch a surprise attack from behind Mosundo.

It was a perfectly executed ambush.

Sshhiiik!

But Mosundo, having broken through the wall, was no pushover.

Feeling a chill at the back of his neck, he spun around and swung his sword.

Bwaaaang!

A powerful strike came down diagonally on Gyeonjung.

Tut-tung!

But Gyeonjung, as if expecting it, blocked the blow with his short sword, coated in dodging technique.

Mosundo’s powerful strike slid off the short sword with difficulty.

This time, Gyeonjung didn’t retreat.

Sshhiiik!

He threw hidden weapons with his left hand and charged forward.

These were thrown from inside the range of the great sword.

“Ugh!”

Mosundo was caught off guard.

It was too close.

“Grrk!”

He twisted his wrist with all his might.

Pulling the great sword in, he used the sword’s broad surface to block the straight-flying throwing knives, deflecting them.

Ttittittitting!

The spinning throwing stars also grazed past the great sword.

It was an impressive display of quick thinking.

But Gyeonjung’s attack wasn’t over.

In the next moment, he closed in within the great sword’s inner range and swung his short sword.

Sshhiiiiiik!

Gyeonjung’s arm split into five or six parts.

His short sword, moving at lightning speed, slashed at Mosundo from all directions.

The distance was so close that Mosundo couldn’t even counterattack with his great sword.

“Eek!”

Clenching his teeth, Mosundo moved the great sword this way and that, trying desperately to block Gyeonjung’s short sword with the sword’s broad surface.

Ttittittitting!

Then he pushed off the ground and created some distance.

If he could just put one step between them—just enough to swing his great sword—there was no way Gyeonjung could match him.

“Hah!”

Using the sword’s broad surface, Mosundo shoved Gyeonjung back and stepped away, finally gaining that crucial distance.

‘Got it!’

A bright smile finally appeared on his face.

Now it was time to land his advanced strike on the enemy who had finally revealed himself.

“Farewell!”

Mosundo gripped the sword’s hilt tightly with both hands, his arm muscles bulging as he prepared to swing.

At that moment—

Pook!

“Guh?!”

Mosundo was horrified to feel something deeply pierce his back.

He hadn’t heard a sound, but a hidden weapon had flown in and lodged itself there.

‘How?!’

Suddenly, memories of the hidden weapons Gyeonjung had thrown from close range flashed through Mosundo’s mind.

The straight-flying throwing knives and the spinning shurikens.

And then it hit him.

‘The throwing stars this time made no sound!’

Earlier, the spinning throwing stars had made a loud noise as they whirled, but these new ones had been completely silent.

Those silent throwing stars must have circled back and embedded themselves in his back.

He hadn’t dodged them by chance—it had been intentional.

Just as this realization dawned, Gyeonjung’s short sword came crashing down on Mosundo.

Shuaaaak!

Even faster than before, the short sword split into eight blades.

“Ugh!”

Mosundo swung his great sword again, trying desperately to block the attack.

But his strength was draining fast from the wound in his back.

Ttittittitting!

And finally—

Choohaak!

“Gahk!”

Gyeonjung’s short sword, which had been blocked so many times, finally succeeded in cutting through the tendons in Mosundo’s shoulder.

With his arm weakened, Mosundo couldn’t block the sword aimed at his neck.

Shaaak!

Fssshhh!

Blood sprayed sharply from the cut on Mosundo’s neck.

It was over.

As his vision blurred, Mosundo collapsed, looking up at the sky with a bitter expression.

‘At last… finally…’

Boom!

“Haah, haah, haah!”

Gyeonjung, panting heavily, suddenly turned around.

There, he saw Sun Woojin and Jeok Mahyeok watching him, having just revealed themselves from hiding.

Sun Woojin smiled warmly.

“Good work.”

Gyeonjung gave a faint smile in return.

It was the first smile he had shown Sun Woojin.

Then Sun Woojin turned to Jeok Mahyeok beside him.

“Mahyeok, do you want to try fighting a top-tier master one-on-one, like Gyeonjung?”

Jeok Mahyeok shook his head awkwardly.

“I don’t really…”

Sun Woojin felt relieved.

There was still much to do before Sun Woojung arrived.

They still had to deal with the remaining top-tier master, Elder Cheoyonggu, and the other leaders of the White Tiger faction.

They also needed to open the main gate of the Ha family estate before Sun Woojung’s arrival.

If Jeok Mahyeok had insisted on one-on-one fights, time would have been tight.

He was a valuable asset after all.

“Alright, then let’s move quickly again.”

“Yes, Master!”

“Understood.”

Before the Sun family’s forces could strike, the Ha family was already crumbling.

But Ha Guyang, head of the Ha family, was completely unaware of this.

---

Ha Guyang, the head of the Ha family, grabbed his sword and rushed down to the first floor of the main hall.

A lava-like rage boiled wildly in his chest.

‘How dare Sun Woojung attack me! I won’t let him live!’

Though they had somehow managed to get this far through a surprise attack, the leaders and elders of the White Tiger faction were surely gathering their forces now.

Once they assembled, the Sun family’s scum would pose no threat.

With that thought, Ha Guyang ran down and saw Sun Woojung and the Sun family’s elders and leaders breaking through the main gate.

Apparently, they had brought only their strongest warriors.

Ha Guyang quickly scanned the area.

The only ones who could stand against the Sun family’s warriors were himself and a few ordinary fighters guarding the main hall.

It seemed the elders would take some time to gather.

‘What the hell are those slowpokes doing?!’

Though furious inside, Ha Guyang forced a smile and spoke to Sun Woojung.

He needed to buy time.

“Son-in-law, what is this nonsense so early in the morning? Planning a surprise event or something?”

Sun Woojung replied expressionlessly.

“I sent assassins at dawn, so I came immediately. You seemed very urgent. So… I had to send them quickly.”

Ha Guyang flinched.

It seemed the White Tiger faction and this family had failed.

‘Idiots!’

But he couldn’t show it.

He laughed heartily.

“What? Hahaha! What nonsense is this? Are you dreaming? Why would I send assassins after my daughter’s husband? For what reason?”

Sun Woojung answered matter-of-factly.

“Of course you want the Sun family. You’re worried the heir might go to someone other than Hyuk, right? You don’t want the Jegal family to take it either.”

It was a direct hit.

Ha Guyang forced a smile, trying to argue.

“Hahaha! What ridiculous talk…”

But Sun Woojung cut him off, raising his sword and pointing it at Ha Guyang.

“I think that’s enough talking, father-in-law.”

Then he shouted to the elders and leaders.

“Sun family warriors, listen up!”

“Yes, Head of the family!”

Ha Guyang’s heart raced.

If he fought them now, it would be the end.

“Immediately eliminate that villain—!”

“Wait!”

Ha Guyang interrupted, shouting urgently.

“One-on-one! As head of the family, let’s have a one-on-one duel, Sun Woojung! You’re a warrior—surely you won’t hide behind your men like a coward?!”

He didn’t expect Sun Woojung to accept.

He was just trying to stall.

But to his disbelief, Sun Woojung chuckled and muttered,

“One-on-one, huh? That’s not a bad idea.”

“…What?”

Ha Guyang was even more stunned by Sun Woojung’s reply.

Is he really going to foolishly accept a one-on-one duel in this situation? And with Sun Woo-jung, who’s only just reached the early stages of mastery?

Ha Gu-yang’s internal energy had long surpassed seventy years—he’d fully completed eighty years of cultivation.

So even if Sun Woo-jung had recently broken through the seventy-year barrier, he would still be inexperienced. There was no way he could be a match.

But if the opponent was determined to make a foolish move, there was no reason to stop him.

Cheering silently inside, Ha Gu-yang smiled brightly and encouraged Sun Woo-jung.

“Ho! As expected of Sun Woo-jung! The head of the Sun Woo family! Yes, a true warrior proves his skill one-on-one! Isn’t that the true spirit of a martial artist? Now, come on in!”

Of course, his true thoughts were far from encouraging.

“You fool. I’ll stall until our elders and grandmasters arrive. After that, you’re finished!”

But Sun Woo-jung didn’t charge at him.

Instead, he smiled faintly and said, “You seem impatient. I never said I’d be the one to face you one-on-one.”

At that, Ha Gu-yang’s expression twisted sharply.

Someone else would face him? But Sun Woo-jung was surely the strongest of the Sun Woo family.

Suddenly, he recalled Sun Woo-jung’s earlier remark about submitting to the Jegal family.

“Could it be… a master from the Jegal family?”

Ha Gu-yang eyed Sun Woo-jung suspiciously and asked, “Then… who’s going to face me? You’re not seriously saying you’ll bring in an outsider instead of someone from the Sun Woo family?”

His words were carefully chosen to block any involvement from the Jegal clan.

But Sun Woo-jung just smiled again and replied, “That’s not impossible, but no. Fortunately for you, my opponent is from the Sun Woo family—my own son, standing right behind me.”

Behind?

Startled, Ha Gu-yang whipped his head around to look.

At the foot of the stairs where Sun Woo-jung had just descended stood a handsome young man, wearing a fresh smile.

Sun Woo-jin.

But the leaner Sun Woo-jin was a face Ha Gu-yang didn’t recognize.

Frowning, he asked, “…Who are you?”

Sun Woo-jin smiled brightly and bowed slightly. “It’s been a while. I’m Sun Woo-jin, the third son of the Sun Woo family.”

“Sun Woo-jin?”

Hearing the name, Ha Gu-yang didn’t immediately connect him as the third son.

But as he thought it over, surprise slowly filled his face.

“No way… You’re that piggish one?”

Sun Woo-jin chuckled softly and nodded.

Ha Gu-yang’s expression shifted to one of admiration. “Ho, impressive! Losing weight turned you into quite the handsome man! But… isn’t it a bit presumptuous? You think you can face me one-on-one just because you slimmed down?”

Sun Woo-jin grinned and nodded again. “That’s right. And… no matter how long you stall, those you’re waiting for won’t come.”

“…What?”

Ha Gu-yang, who had been trying to buy time, stiffened at Sun Woo-jin’s words.

Sun Woo-jin began to radiate a powerful aura.

“They’re no longer among the living.”

“W-What?! You don’t mean…!”

Ha Gu-yang was horrified by the sharp, blade-like energy emanating from this man barely in his twenties—a force he had never felt before.

The intensity was so strong it made his skin tingle.

“Impossible!”

Sun Woo-jin drew the Mukrang sword and said, “Since I’m the junior, I’ll make the first move, if that’s alright.”

“N-No!”

Ha Gu-yang tried to keep talking, but Sun Woo-jin had no intention of waiting.

With a soft hiss, the Mukrang blade revealed its pearly white glow.

Then, in an instant, a burst of pale violet sword energy exploded forth.

Whoosh!

Ha Gu-yang was stunned.

Judging by that sword energy, this opponent was no inferior.

At least equal in skill, if not superior.

“Here I go!”

The first strike of the Sun Woo Thirteen Sword Technique.

Divine Wing Ascension.

Before Ha Gu-yang’s eyes, brilliant violet wings unfurled.

He recognized the move, but this was the most magnificent and grand display he’d ever seen.

“You insolent brat!”

Gritting his teeth, Ha Gu-yang swung his sword.

Knowing it was an illusion blade, he felt no fear.

Swish!

But what followed was unlike anything he’d seen.

The violet wings flapped as if alive, dodging his sword.

“What—?!”

Then the wings shattered, scattering feather-like sword lights.

This was the next move he knew well: Divine Wing Flutter.

“Ugh!”

Ha Gu-yang twisted his wrist, spinning his sword to block the falling sword lights.

Whirrr!

He knew most were illusions, but the vivid sword lights were too real to ignore.

Swish, swish, swish!

The illusion blades touching his sword vanished like melting snow.

Still, Ha Gu-yang stumbled backward in a daze.

According to what he knew, the next move would be Divine Wing Descent—a real sword hidden among the illusions would strike like a ray of light.

He dreaded it.

Both Sun Woo-jin and Ha Gu-yang wielded about eighty years of internal energy.

But after countless fierce battles, Sun Woo-jin’s swordsmanship was honed to a razor’s edge, while Ha Gu-yang’s swordplay, nurtured in comfort within the Ha family, could not compare.

The difference was like night and day.

“Hah!”

“No way…”

The retainers of the Sun Woo family watched in stunned silence as Ha Gu-yang, a master with eighty years of cultivation, was pushed back so badly.

Especially at the hands of Sun Woo-jin, once called a disgrace to the family.

Except for the elder Heo Jin-guk and Grandmaster Dam Mu-ho, who already knew Sun Woo-jin’s skill, no one could believe what they were seeing.

Elder Seo Tong-sung muttered in disbelief, “Am I dreaming right now?”

That was the shared feeling among everyone present.

The third strike of the Sun Woo Thirteen Sword Technique.

Divine Wing Descent.

Whoosh!

Amidst the falling illusion blades, a single real sword plunged down like a beam of light.

The move Ha Gu-yang feared.

Slash!

“Ugh!”

Ha Gu-yang winced in pain as Sun Woo-jin’s sword grazed his side, but he felt a strange relief.

It seemed he had prepared for this.

But when Sun Woo-jin smiled faintly and launched the next moves, Ha Gu-yang’s hope faded.

Fourth strike: Divine Wing Storm.

Fifth strike: Form is Emptiness.

Sixth strike: Divine Bird Cannon.

With each successive move, Ha Gu-yang’s face grew paler.

He realized Sun Woo-jin hadn’t failed to kill him earlier.

Swish!

“Ugh!”

Every time Ha Gu-yang thought he couldn’t withstand the sword’s force, Sun Woo-jin’s strikes would slightly miss.

Now Ha Gu-yang understood his opponent’s intent clearly.

‘He’s demonstrating the Sun Woo Thirteen Sword Technique on me?!’

And the Sun Woo family members realized it too.

They were speechless, staring blankly at Sun Woo-jin’s swordplay.

The Sun Woo Thirteen Sword Technique had never looked so fresh and powerful.

Long regarded as the signature illusion blade technique of Guizhou Province, it had been considered a first-rate sword style, but not quite at the pinnacle compared to the great sects.

But what Sun Woo-jin was showing proved otherwise.

He was demonstrating that the Sun Woo Thirteen Sword Technique itself was a supreme style, rivaling even the martial arts of the great sects—it had only been underutilized until now.

The faces of family head Sun Woo-jung and elder Heo Jin-guk shone with deep emotion.

Each strike, each move, was profoundly moving.

Meanwhile, Sun Woo-jin’s sword finally began the last known move: the thirteenth strike, Illusion Blade Mirror.

Swishhhhh!

Dozens, even hundreds of sword shadows surrounded Ha Gu-yang like a cage.

At that moment, Ha Gu-yang, seemingly out of his mind, screamed in defiance.

“Hmph! Illusion Blade Mirror, huh? You think I can’t tell they’re all illusions?!”

Then it happened.

The hundreds of sword shadows surrounding Ha Gu-yang suddenly took solid form and surged toward him.

The fifteenth strike of the Sun Woo Thirteen Sword Technique.

Form is Emptiness.

Puff, puff, puff, puff!

Hundreds of sword shadows pierced Ha Gu-yang’s body.

He looked like a porcupine.

His mouth hung open, unable to utter a word.

Only a death rattle escaped before his breath ceased.

“Gah!”

Whoosh!

Blood sprayed from Ha Gu-yang’s body like a fountain.

Behind him, Sun Woo-jin slowly sheathed the Mukrang sword, not a drop of blood staining the blade, and walked toward Sun Woo-jung.

Sun Woo-jung looked at him with a face full of pride and rushed forward to embrace him.

It was a fierce, burning hug.

“Good work. You’ve worked hard, Jin-ah.”

The warmth in his father’s voice was indescribably comforting.