Chapter 298
The third son of the Four Kings, Goe Hang-gi, finally caught up with Seol Poong and his group on the road heading toward Gosun City.
Leading over three hundred warriors at full speed, Goe Hang-gi spotted six figures moving in the distance against the open horizon.
They were the three young men and three young women of the Yangju Dongga clan, including Dong So-woon—the very group Seol Poong was traveling with.
After days of relentless pursuit and false leads, Goe Hang-gi’s eyes finally caught sight of them.
His voice rang out, charged with excitement.
“There they are! Right there! Chase them down! Don’t let them escape!”
At his command, the three hundred warriors, already running at full tilt, surged forward with even greater speed.
Fueled by the thought that this exhausting chase was finally coming to an end, they pushed themselves to the limit.
Noticing their pursuers closing in, Seol Poong’s group also quickened their pace.
But perhaps because of the newly joined Dong So-woon, their speed was sluggish, making it difficult to put distance between themselves and their hunters.
The gap was steadily closing.
Goe Hang-gi, eyes gleaming with excitement, shouted again.
“Ha ha ha! Seol Poong, you coward! Where do you think you’re running off to? You want to be the Four King but you’re running away like a scared child? Why don’t you try calling me ‘big brother’ again like last time? Ha ha ha!”
At those words, two of Seol Poong’s group suddenly stopped.
The two young men among the three young men and three young women—Seol Poong himself and Sun Woo-jin.
But only those two halted; the rest kept running, likely trying to buy time by staying behind.
Goe Hang-gi’s eyes flashed sharply as he called out.
“Gam Nosa! Baek Nosa!”
Before he could finish, two warriors from his rear surged forward in an instant.
They were Gam Jak-hyung, one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, wielding the legendary Three-Pronged Spear, and Baek Gi-ryang, a master swordsman borrowed from Goe Hang-gi’s eldest brother, Goe Jeong-gi.
Like arrows shot from a bow, the two charged at Seol Poong and Sun Woo-jin with overwhelming speed.
From the moment the chase began, Goe Hang-gi had arranged for these two strongest warriors among his men to take on Seol Poong and Sun Woo-jin.
While they engaged the two strongest opponents, the rest of the forces would complete the encirclement.
Of course, if these two could finish off Seol Poong outright, that would be even better.
After all, Seol Poong was the primary target; the other four who fled were of little concern.
‘It’s a shame about the two beauties, but the important thing is Seol Poong… So, what will you do? Even if you have the skills of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, can you really stand against the real thing?’
Goe Hang-gi smiled coldly as he thought this.
Suddenly, the two warriors who had charged at terrifying speed finally collided with Seol Poong and Sun Woo-jin.
“Hah!”
The first to arrive was none other than Gam Jak-hyung.
Levitating lightly in midair, his massive Three-Pronged Spear came crashing down like lightning toward Sun Woo-jin.
Chuwaaaak!
The spear was enormous—thick as a child’s forearm, with two huge blades jutting out like buffalo horns on either side.
Its sheer size and weight made it seem impossible to wield unless one was physically large, yet Gam Jak-hyung, of relatively modest build, handled it as easily as if it were a pair of chopsticks.
Sun Woo-jin, watching the strike calmly, swiftly swung his sword to block the spear.
Clang!
A clear metallic ring echoed as sword met spear.
Sun Woo-jin was lightly knocked backward.
“Hut!”
It looked as if a mouse had been struck by a wild boar—so effortlessly was he pushed back.
The scene seemed to highlight the vast difference in skill between the two.
Watching their clash with wide eyes, Goe Hang-gi clenched his fist in delight.
“As expected!”
But Sun Woo-jin, who had been lightly knocked back, spun in midair and landed softly on the ground.
Tap!
From a distance, it looked like he had been pushed back weakly, but up close, he showed no sign of damage.
Gam Jak-hyung, noticing this, murmured with a hint of admiration.
“Ho, an impressive new technique. As I’ve heard, your skill is quite formidable.”
He was well aware that the spear had barely grazed Sun Woo-jin.
Though it seemed like Sun Woo-jin had been knocked back, in truth he had stepped back himself, absorbing most of the impact.
Such a technique was no easy feat, even for one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars like Gam Jak-hyung.
His strike had been powerful enough to pierce a floating rock in midair.
Yet Sun Woo-jin had deflected it so smoothly—a feat only possible with a technique pushed to its limits.
Sun Woo-jin smiled slyly in response.
“Judging by that massive Three-Pronged Spear, you must be the famous Gam Jak-hyung Nosa. But to think you’d take orders from someone like Goe Hang-gi… you’re not quite what I expected.”
Gam Jak-hyung’s eyes narrowed.
Known for his hot temper, and despite his ties to the Beonhae faction, it was no pleasure for a Thirty-Six Heavenly Star like him to take orders from someone like Goe Hang-gi.
With a stern expression, he replied.
“…You’re a young mouthy brat. Maybe you need a lesson.”
Sun Woo-jin laughed and shot back.
“For someone your age, you don’t seem to act your part. Maybe you need to grow up a bit more.”
It wasn’t a particularly harsh insult, but enough to ignite Gam Jak-hyung’s temper.
His eyes flared as he charged forward.
“You little—!”
Shuak!
This attack was far more powerful than before.
The spear spun like a whirlwind as it stabbed forward.
The rotating blades twisted along an irregular path, not a straight line.
It was a fierce strike that seemed capable of destroying anything in its path.
But Sun Woo-jin swung his sword without hesitation to meet the blow.
Clang! Thud!
Once again, Sun Woo-jin was lightly knocked back.
In that brief moment, he struck the spear three times before retreating.
“You little—again!”
Gam Jak-hyung roared in fury and pressed forward relentlessly.
This time, he was determined not to miss.
“Hah!”
But Sun Woo-jin just smiled faintly, tapping the spear’s blades lightly with his sword.
Clang clang clang!
While Gam Jak-hyung and Sun Woo-jin engaged in this strange dance of attack and retreat, some distance away, Seol Poong and Baek Gi-ryang finally clashed.
“Hup!”
Shah!
Baek Gi-ryang’s sword flashed like a ray of light, tracing a thin line through the air.
The blade’s path was invisible, leaving only a graceful curve behind—a swift, slicing strike like a cutting wind.
Chaaang!
A clear metallic ring echoed where Baek Gi-ryang’s blade met the claws of Seol Poong’s fierce tiger strike.
After their clash, Baek Gi-ryang stepped back slightly, grinding his teeth as he saw Seol Poong’s faint smile.
That calm expression, worn while facing him, was unforgivable.
“Hup!”
Baek Gi-ryang charged again, swinging his sword like a raging storm.
His eyes blazed with murderous intent.
Cha cha cha chang!
Seol Poong’s tiger claws and Baek Gi-ryang’s blade clashed, sparks flying in all directions.
The two spun and moved rapidly, exchanging countless blows.
Watching them, Goe Hang-gi looked slightly unsettled, glancing back and forth between the two battlefields.
Whether by design or not, the two fights were quickly drifting apart.
This was not what Goe Hang-gi had intended; he wanted to complete the encirclement while Gam Jak-hyung and Baek Gi-ryang engaged their opponents.
After a moment’s thought, Goe Hang-gi shouted.
“Focus on Seol Poong! Ignore the swordsman! Surround Seol Poong!”
It was a natural choice for him.
To Goe Hang-gi, everyone else—including Sun Woo-jin—was just an obstacle standing between him and Seol Poong.
At his command, all the warriors turned toward Seol Poong.
Meanwhile, Sun Woo-jin, still lightly bouncing back from Gam Jak-hyung’s attacks, smirked.
“Gam Nosa, you’re even meddling in side matters? Seems Goe Hang-gi has no interest in our fight. How about we call it a day and rest? I doubt Goe Hang-gi would even notice.”
Those words ignited the simmering anger in Gam Jak-hyung.
“Shut up, you brat!”
Frustrated by Sun Woo-jin’s elusive defense—like trying to catch the wind—Gam Jak-hyung’s fury boiled over.
He felt utterly toyed with, a feeling he hadn’t experienced since becoming one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars.
Clang!
With a furious strike, Sun Woo-jin was sent flying again.
Gam Jak-hyung couldn’t hold back and shouted.
“You! If you’re a warrior, fight properly! How long do you plan to keep running?”
Sun Woo-jin smiled slyly.
“Oh, is that what you want? You should’ve said so sooner.”
And at that moment—
Until now, Sun Woo-jin’s Shin-hyung had only ever retreated—but suddenly, he sprang off the ground like an arrow shot from a bow.
Crack!
“!”
Gam Jak-hyung was taken completely by surprise.
So focused on capturing the opponent at all costs, he had unknowingly let his guard down.
Only now did he realize that the enemy’s provocation had shaken his resolve.
But at that moment, Sun Woo-jin’s Shin-hyung had already closed the distance—inside his weapon’s effective range.
Inside the reach of the three-pronged spear, where a single blade was at a severe disadvantage.
From that close, Sun Woo-jin’s sword flashed like a beam of light.
Sai-il Sword Technique, Gu-cho.
Descendant’s Nine-One.
Shuhaaak!
Nine beams of light—nine simultaneous strikes—shot straight at Gam Jak-hyung.
It was the first time in centuries that the complete Descendant’s Nine-One had been revealed.
“Ugh!”
Gam Jak-hyung realized he simply could not block the attack.
There was only one choice left.
“Haaah!”
With a sudden shout, a barrier of energy burst forth from his entire body.
A protective aura.
The nine beams struck him immediately after.
Puf puf puf puf!
“!”
Gam Jak-hyung stared at the sword tips that had pierced through his protective aura, stopping just inches from his eyes.
It was literally the width of a single sheet of paper.
Had the blades advanced just one more inch, nine holes would have been torn through his body.
He swallowed hard, frozen for a moment in the face of death so close.
Then, Sun Woo-jin’s voice echoed in his ear, though the figure had already vanished.
—Next time, I won’t stop there. If you understand that your survival this time wasn’t due to your own skill, cherish your life.
Glancing back, Gam Jak-hyung saw Sun Woo-jin’s Shin-hyung flying toward Seolpung and the other warriors.
A technique like a raging storm—undeniably, in terms of pure skill, it was several steps above Gam Jak-hyung himself.
‘Maybe… it’s not just the technique?’
Gam Jak-hyung recalled the message Sun Woo-jin had sent.
‘He said he wouldn’t stop there?’
That meant he could have pierced the protective aura but chose not to.
The fact that the enemy had spared his life once more ignited a fresh wave of anger inside him.
‘How arrogant!’
He had been a master known as one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World for over ten years.
He could never accept being inferior to some unknown, green young upstart.
‘He failed even after launching a surprise attack, yet he acts like he’s a step above me! That’s unforgivable!’
With that resolve, Gam Jak-hyung narrowed his eyes and launched himself after Sun Woo-jin.
Crack!
“You bastard!”
Gui-do Baek Gi-ryang had been unable to sleep properly at night lately.
The reason was shame.
A warrior with a reputation approaching the Thirty-Six Stars—perhaps even their equal—he had been utterly unable to land a single blow against a much younger opponent.
That was a humiliation no warrior could bear.
Especially among the warriors of the Sa-wang-ryeon, who respected brave losers more than cowardly victors, it was a fatal blow to his pride.
Since that day, Baek Gi-ryang had been waiting for another chance to face Sun Woo-jin.
To meet him again and avenge that humiliation.
That was his only wish these days.
‘But…’
Cha-cheng! Cha-cha-cha-cheng! Cha-cha-cheng!
Clashing weapons spun like a whirlwind as Baek Gi-ryang ground his teeth.
His anger wasn’t because he was forced to fight Seolpung instead of Sun Woo-jin.
Since Gam Jak-hyung, a stronger warrior, had targeted Sun Woo-jin first, it was inevitable.
In fact, part of him felt relieved to face Seolpung instead.
What infuriated him was the expression on Seolpung’s face during their fierce battle.
Their fight was intense—Baek Gi-ryang was giving it his all, and Seolpung matched him blow for blow.
Yet Seolpung’s face showed no sign of strain.
Instead, he looked utterly relaxed, as if watching an entertaining show.
A calm, almost amused expression, as if testing Baek Gi-ryang’s limits.
That expression was driving Baek Gi-ryang mad.
“You bastard!”
Cha-cha-cha-cha-cheng!
Baek Gi-ryang swung his blade wildly.
His strikes, once like a slicing wind, had become a raging storm, battering Seolpung.
But even those powerful blows failed to faze Seolpung’s calm demeanor.
Seolpung smoothly parried every strike, his gaze fixed not on Baek Gi-ryang but on something behind him.
“Hmm.”
Baek Gi-ryang’s fury deepened as he realized Seolpung was looking somewhere else entirely.
“Arrgh!”
Then, a voice called out from behind.
“Hold him, Baek No-sa!”
It was Gwe Hang-gi.
Only then did Baek Gi-ryang realize that Gwe Hang-gi and the other warriors were rushing toward them.
He had been so consumed by anger that he hadn’t noticed his surroundings.
At that moment, Seolpung muttered,
“Well then, shall we move again?”
Hearing that, Baek Gi-ryang snapped back to full alert.
The enemy was trying to escape once more.
He couldn’t let that happen.
Gritting his teeth, Baek Gi-ryang charged at Seolpung.
Even if the man was stronger, it didn’t matter.
If he could latch onto him, he could prevent his escape.
“Hup!”
But then—
Seolpung’s gaze suddenly locked onto the charging Baek Gi-ryang.
At the same time, his fierce Tiger Claw ignited like a lightning bolt tearing through the sky.
Shiiiiik!
“Ugh!”
It was a strike like thunder.
Baek Gi-ryang hastily retracted his blade, raising it to block the attack.
The moment the Tiger Claw struck, a massive shockwave slammed into his arm.
Zzzeeeooong!
“Guh!”
The impact was tremendous.
Baek Gi-ryang was flung backward, his arm trembling uncontrollably after just one hit.
Watching Seolpung’s figure fade into the distance, Baek Gi-ryang thought,
‘Missed him…’
A deep despair washed over him.
He, who had rarely found a worthy rival in his life, had failed even to hold onto this young upstart.
The man who had thrown him back would surely escape now.
But to Baek Gi-ryang’s surprise, Seolpung didn’t flee.
He remained standing, his gaze fixed on the hundreds of warriors rushing toward them.
‘Is he really going to face them head-on?’
Just then—
“Kraaaak!”
“Ahhh!”
“Behind! Behind!”
“An ambush…! Aaaah!”
Suddenly, screams erupted from the rear of the charging warriors.
Right in the direction Seolpung was watching.
‘What?!’
Baek Gi-ryang spun around in shock.
There, cutting through the warriors like a beam of light, was Sun Woo-jin, moving through the battlefield like a ghost.
His speed was so incredible that the screams and bloodshed only erupted after he passed.
Puhwaak!
“Kraaaak!”
“Ughhh!”
Baek Gi-ryang gritted his teeth.
‘That bastard!’
At that moment, Sun Woo-jin’s gaze met Baek Gi-ryang’s.
Their eyes locked in midair.
Sun Woo-jin’s Shin-hyung gave a sly smile before vanishing, swallowed by the crowd of warriors.
Shh-shhk!
Baek Gi-ryang and the surrounding warriors couldn’t detect his trace—an impeccable stealth.
‘Where did he go?!’
As Baek Gi-ryang frantically scanned the crowd, a sudden flash of swordlight erupted from the center.
Sun Woo-jin burst forth.
Chwaaah!
“Kkyaaak!”
“Ughhh!”
The sword strikes exploded like thunderclaps, and a dozen warriors nearby sprayed blood like fountains.
But none of that blood touched Sun Woo-jin.
It was nothing but meaningless splashes in the air.
Because at that moment, Sun Woo-jin had already reached Seolpung’s side.
“Let’s go, brother!”
“Got it!”
Crack!
Seolpung and Sun Woo-jin, reunited, began fleeing again in the direction their comrades had taken earlier.
Their speed was impossible for Gwe Hang-gi’s warriors to match.
Helpless, Gwe Hang-gi screamed in frustration.
“What the hell are you doing?! Don’t let them escape! You must not let them go!”
His warriors tried their best to pursue, but the gap in their skill levels was too great.
The distance between them widened in an instant.
Gwe Hang-gi shouted again.
“Don’t give up! The moment they meet their comrades, they’ll slow down!”
He recalled how they hadn’t been so fast when with Dong So-woon earlier.
But just then, a small river came into view.
The small river toward which Seolpung and Sun Woo-jin were heading.
And on its bank, their comrades waited, riding boats they had somehow acquired.
Gwe Hang-gi let out a helpless groan.
“No… this can’t be…”
He could only watch in stunned silence as Seolpung’s group boarded the boats and drifted away peacefully.