Chapter 355
Originally, the Mang-a Technique was a divine skill that erased the self and merged with the universe to annihilate enemies.
Since all of nature around you would turn against a single foe, there was simply no way to counter it.
Even the Demon God Patriarch of the Heavenly Demon Sect, who had reached the pinnacle of the Divine Myth Scripture, couldn’t withstand the Mang-a Technique and had to retreat to seclusion in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
The Sword Spirit muttered regretfully,
“If only he could’ve used it properly, a guy like that would’ve been finished in a heartbeat.”
But with Sun Woo-jin’s body not yet having reached the Fiery Realm, he couldn’t unleash its full power.
All he could do was subtly alter the flow of the air or the nature of the earth, like he had just done.
Having analyzed Jeon Mu-gwang’s fighting style earlier, the Sword Spirit judged that despite his formidable physical strength, his control over his energy was somewhat lacking.
Granted, he was still at the peak of the Fiery Realm, but…
“Well, there’s no choice. We have to exploit his relatively weaker spots.”
That was why they decided to use the Mang-a Technique, even if its power was still limited.
Since Jeon Mu-gwang’s mastery of the intangible energy was somewhat deficient, they planned to destabilize him by manipulating the external environment.
With that decision made, the Sword Spirit stuck close to him like a rabid dog that never lets go, launching another stream of ‘Gaechun’ attacks.
“Haaah!”
Shhhhk!
Jeon Mu-gwang’s eyes filled with surprise.
His side and forearm were already split open, yet this pest clung on like a tick, relentlessly striking with sword slashes.
He hastily let out a fierce shout,
“Uhaaah!”
Fwoooosh!
A violent surge of energy burst from his body like a storm.
The gust was so strong that Sun Woo-jin was forced back, momentarily separated from him.
Jeon Mu-gwang glanced at his side, which was still halfway through healing.
It would take some time to fully recover.
His split forearm was no different.
Then, suddenly, Sun Woo-jin reappeared right before Jeon Mu-gwang’s eyes.
It was a blink-step.
“!”
Startled, Jeon Mu-gwang swung his arm to strike him away.
“Damn it…!”
But he had to hesitate.
The earth beneath his feet shifted again, and his footing sank deep into the soil.
It was a fleeting tremor, but enough for Sun Woo-jin.
Before Jeon Mu-gwang’s blow could land, Sun Woo-jin’s form vanished once more, igniting his fury.
“Argh…!”
Jeon Mu-gwang screamed in pain as a searing strike hit his back.
Sun Woo-jin had appeared behind him again, delivering another ‘Gaechun’ slash.
Now his back was split wide open.
“This bastard…”
Jeon Mu-gwang was utterly thrown into chaos.
What had once been a mere mosquito had become a wasp.
Too fast to catch, wielding strange environmental manipulation techniques, and now armed with a burning poisonous sting.
He had no choice but to roar again, releasing his energy.
“Uhaaah!”
Fwoooosh!
Sun Woo-jin’s body was swept away by the energy once more.
It was only for a moment, but it bought him some breathing room.
Meanwhile, Jeon Mu-gwang frantically racked his brain.
This guy was dangerous.
At least until he figured out what this strange technique was, he had to stall for time.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, Jeon Mu-gwang noticed Sun Woo-jin’s acquaintances watching with vacant expressions.
‘That’s it.’
He decided to use them.
Wasn’t it typical of those foolish righteous sects to risk their lives over mere expendable bystanders?
As someone who had been part of the righteous sect, Jeon Mu-gwang knew this well.
He shouted loudly at those standing behind him,
“Attack them! Kill them all!”
At once, Cheol Shin-gwangma Cheok-gang grinned fiercely, ready to leap forward.
“Orders received!”
Behind him, the spectators—Hyeopwang Mo Yong-gum, the Strange Sword Seoi, and Gyeol Heo Sa-tae—also readied their weapons and prepared to charge.
Even the exhausted Haechung Yeonma slowly rose to his feet.
Sun Woo-jin’s group tensed, taking defensive stances.
The Fiery Realm masters—Yeoryeong Saekma Son Eun-sang, Namhae Seongnyeo Si Seo-woo, and the Strange Immortal Cheong Gwang-jin—stood at the front.
Behind them, Seol Poong, Dragon Clan Lord Yong Woo-shin, the Six Harmonies Swordmasters, and Mugeukpae’s Pyo Seo-geuk took their positions.
But if they clashed head-on, the outcome was obvious.
They were no match in either number or skill against the enemy.
In that situation, Sun Woo-jin couldn’t just keep fighting Jeon Mu-gwang while abandoning his comrades.
Jeon Mu-gwang’s move was perfectly timed.
It was a brilliant tactic to distract Sun Woo-jin and buy time.
The problem was, Sun Woo-jin had already anticipated this.
“Hahaha! Let’s fight!”
Cheol Shin-gwangma Cheok-gang, thrilled to finally engage in battle, charged forward with a face full of joy.
Behind him, other masters shouted battle cries and surged ahead.
“Haah!”
But then, something no one expected happened.
Pfuuk!
“Gahk!”
Cheok-gang froze, staring dumbfounded at the sword blade that suddenly pierced through the back of his neck.
He couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
But he never got the chance to.
A blue sword aura burst forth from the blade, severing his head completely.
Pwahak!
The one most shocked by this was Jeon Mu-gwang.
He roared in fury at the death of his most trusted subordinate, Cheok-gang.
“Cheok-gang!”
From behind Cheok-gang, the Strange Sword Seoi—the one who had ambushed and killed him—hurriedly leapt away from Jeon Mu-gwang.
Pak!
“Seoi?!”
“Strange Sword, why are you doing this?!”
Everyone else was equally stunned by Seoi’s betrayal.
Mo Yong-gum, who had been about to attack alongside him, and even Son Eun-sang and Si Seo-woo, who had been guarding against his moves, stared at him in disbelief.
They couldn’t fathom his sudden treachery.
Then, the one who knew the reason, the Sword Spirit, spoke to Sun Woo-jin in a hollow tone.
Sun Woo-jin smiled faintly in response.
‘He’s always aimed to master the Sword Spirit’s techniques. Now that the outcome is uncertain, he must have felt there was no reason to hesitate any longer.’
Right after the Sword Spirit had pressed Jeon Mu-gwang with the Mang-a Technique, Sun Woo-jin had sent a secret message to Seoi.
That single message was enough to completely change Seoi’s mind.
He had long been obsessed with the Sword Spirit’s hidden techniques concealed within the Byeokrang Sword.
That was why he hadn’t killed Sun Woo-jin and the Sword Spirit, suspecting only a true swordsman could inherit them.
And now, Sun Woo-jin—once no match for him—had appeared wielding the Sword Spirit’s techniques.
A power he simply couldn’t handle.
So he had no choice but to fully believe what Sun Woo-jin had said before.
‘Is it true that only a swordsman can inherit the Sword Spirit’s techniques?’
It was a dilemma he couldn’t ignore.
If Sun Woo-jin was right, he must never side with the Absolute Blood Sect.
But switching sides was difficult, given Jeon Mu-gwang’s overwhelming presence.
‘Damn it, what should I do?’
While he wrestled with this, Sun Woo-jin was relentlessly pushing Jeon Mu-gwang back.
Their power was so evenly matched it was easy to forget.
Seeing this, Seoi felt the scales tipping.
And then, Sun Woo-jin’s message struck like a dagger to the heart.
There was no more reason to hesitate.
The Sword Spirit said quietly,
With Sun Woo-jin’s single word, two Fiery Realm masters—Cheok-gang and Seoi—defected from Jeon Mu-gwang’s side.
Now, the outcome was uncertain.
Excluding Jeon Mu-gwang and Sun Woo-jin, each side had three Fiery Realm masters left.
Haechung Yeonma, Mo Yong-gum, and Gyeol Heo Sa-tae on one side.
Son Eun-sang, Si Seo-woo, and Cheong Gwang-jin on the other.
Neither side could afford a reckless clash now.
Their lives were at stake.
Without hesitation, Sun Woo-jin launched himself at Jeon Mu-gwang.
There was no time left.
“Jeon Mu-gwang!”
Sun Woo-jin’s shout was met with Jeon Mu-gwang gritting his teeth.
Though he hadn’t yet figured out his opponent’s technique, with Cheok-gang dead, he had no choice.
Jeon Mu-gwang swung his arms toward Sun Woo-jin’s incoming attack.
His arms split like the Thousand-Hand Guanyin, hundreds of energy blades pouring from each hand.
It was the Absolute Blood Sect’s secret technique, Cheon Hwanma Jang.
Pabababababap!
The energy blades spread over a wider area than before, filling every inch of space Sun Woo-jin could move through.
It looked like a storm of red hailstones.
Jeon Mu-gwang was clearly trying to block Sun Woo-jin’s approach.
But Sun Woo-jin didn’t slow down.
Instead, he accelerated, splitting into seven forms in an instant.
Shiiik!
“!”
Jeon Mu-gwang was horrified.
Suddenly, Sun Woo-jin multiplied into seven, each figure approaching from a different direction like petals drifting softly on the wind, gracefully evading the blood dragons as they closed in.
What he didn’t know was that at the climax of this technique, all seven afterimages would become real—the secret art of the Sword Spirit, Chilseong Hyeonsin.
Gritting his teeth, Jeon Mu-gwang unleashed his blood dragons at the Sun Woo-jins who had closed in nearby.
Once again, the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Martial Art was unleashed.
Krrrrrraaaaar!
The power of the blood dragons released at close range was overwhelming.
Caught off guard by the sudden assault, four of the Sun Woo-jins were swallowed whole by the dragons’ jaws.
Ssshk!
But just as Jeon Mu-gwang was about to flash a triumphant smile, his expression tightened once more as he struggled to control the blood dragons.
Three Sun Woo-jins remained, still advancing steadily.
Their originals were still intact.
“Damn it!”
Jeon Mu-gwang fired explosive blood formations at them, using the massive formations to block their approach.
Then, he commanded three blood dragons to attack each Sun Woo-jin.
“Go!”
The giant blood dragons surged from three directions, closing in on the Sun Woo-jins who barely dodged the explosive formations.
Krrrrrraaaaar!
Jeon Mu-gwang’s eyes widened as he watched the scene unfold.
Even if this move didn’t kill them, it would at least reveal which was the true body.
But then—
Suddenly, a massive wall of ice erupted around Jeon Mu-gwang.
Swoooosh!
“?!”
He was caught off guard.
Not only was the sudden appearance of the ice wall unexpected, but it also blocked his view of what had happened to Sun Woo-jin.
Boom!
Only the deafening explosion beyond the ice wall confirmed that the blood dragons had collided.
“Annoying!”
Jeon Mu-gwang growled in frustration, shouting a sharp command that shattered the ice barrier with sheer force.
Crack!
Through the shards of ice, the three Sun Woo-jins came into view again.
All of them were dodging the blood dragons and closing in on Jeon Mu-gwang.
“Damn!”
Jeon Mu-gwang leapt back into the air to evade, but as he pushed off the ground, the earth beneath him suddenly softened, swallowing his foot.
Plop!
“Ugh!”
Panic surged through him.
The three Sun Woo-jins were now charging from all sides.
He had no choice but to block their sword strikes without proper preparation.
Summoning all his strength, he propelled himself upward—not with his legs, but by harnessing his intangible energy.
Shuak!
His body shot up like a cannonball, narrowly dodging the incoming sword strikes.
He’d bought himself a little time.
Now airborne, he planned to steady himself and prepare a counterattack.
Just as he reached out toward the Sun Woo-jin leaping at him—
Whoosh!
A sudden gust of wind, like a dragon’s claw, spun Jeon Mu-gwang’s body around midair.
First the ground, now the wind itself was working against him.
“No!”
Terrified, Jeon Mu-gwang spewed blood dragons from every pore, sending them hurtling toward Sun Woo-jin.
He was trying to turn the tide with the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Martial Art.
Krrrrrraaaaar!
Sun Woo-jin gritted his teeth as he faced nine blood dragons flying straight at him.
A direct attack like this usually meant dodging once and then striking at an opening—but there was no time.
The Sword Spirit had no time to waste.
He swung his ‘Gaechun’ sword at the first charging blood dragon.
Chuaaak!
The dragon split in two and exploded.
Boom!
Turning his back to the blast, Sun Woo-jin pressed forward.
The shockwave battered his entire body, but he had no time to care.
Second and third blood dragons surged in relentless waves.
Krrrrrraaaak!
“Whooah!”
Sshhhiiik!
At that moment, Sun Woo-jin caught the air currents and began to fly like a bird.
The power of the Wind Horse Technique.
Like a hawk weaving through a canyon, he smoothly dodged the blood dragons, slicing each one down as they passed by.
Shhaaak!
Kaboom! Kaboom!
Shhaaak!
Kaboom! Kaboom!
Two, three, four—each time a blood dragon exploded, Jeon Mu-gwang’s expression grew more desperate.
“You bastard!”
Summoning every ounce of strength, Jeon Mu-gwang unleashed nine more blood dragons.
Judging by the distance, this was likely his final attack.
Fwaaah!
But just as Sun Woo-jin cut through the nine dragons and charged at Jeon Mu-gwang, a voice suddenly rang out.
“I’ll help you!”
Both men turned in surprise.
From Ha Cheong-yeon’s body, nine blood dragons burst forth, charging toward them.
She had regained her strength.
The two men’s expressions contrasted sharply.
Jeon Mu-gwang broke into a triumphant laugh, while Sun Woo-jin’s face grew serious.
“Hahaha! Come on, Gwa-yeom!”
“Damn!”
Facing nine blood dragons was one thing; facing eighteen was a whole different level.
Even the Sword Spirit was taken aback.
Jeon Mu-gwang laughed wildly as he sent the dragons surging forward.
“Now die!”
But then—
The blood dragons charging at Sun Woo-jin suddenly changed course and attacked Jeon Mu-gwang instead.
Krrrrrraaaak!
Sensing something was wrong, Jeon Mu-gwang spun around just in time to see the massive dragons opening their jaws behind him.
His eyes widened in shock.
“…What?!”
Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!
“Graaah!”
Even the sturdy body of the Blood Demon couldn’t withstand the sudden bombardment of the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Martial Art.
In the next moment, his body, torn to shreds, crashed to the ground.
This was the opening.
But the Sword Spirit was just as stunned.
He couldn’t bring himself to attack Jeon Mu-gwang, instead staring at Ha Cheong-yeon with a wary expression.
He was cautious of her.
Then, from within, Sun Woo-jin shouted.
‘Look at her eyes, sir! That’s Cheong-yeon! She did it!’
“…What?”
The Sword Spirit was momentarily stunned by those words.
When he glanced at her, her eyes no longer glowed red.
They had returned to their original black—she was no longer the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon Gwa-yeom, but Ha Cheong-yeon once again.
Still, even knowing this, the Sword Spirit couldn’t understand.
Why had she suddenly changed? And if she was truly Ha Cheong-yeon, how had she been able to wield the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Martial Art?
At that moment, Sun Woo-jin shouted again.
‘It’s the Crimson Lotus Sword! The Reverse Heaven Blood Demon’s soul has been largely absorbed by the Crimson Lotus Sword, so it can no longer control Cheong-yeon’s spirit!’
The Sword Spirit finally understood.
Though the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon’s soul hadn’t been completely removed, much of its power had been drained, allowing Ha Cheong-yeon to regain control of her body.
And for that reason, there was no longer any need for caution.
The Sword Spirit prepared to deliver the final blow to the falling Jeon Mu-gwang.
“Now!”
But then, he suddenly realized.
His time was finally up.
Focused on the battle, he hadn’t noticed, but he had already reached his limit.
His existence was beginning to fade away abruptly.
Desperately clinging to his vanishing consciousness, he shouted to Sun Woo-jin.
“Jin-ah! Please…!”
With those last words, the Sword Spirit’s consciousness vanished completely.
He couldn’t even finish his final sentence.
Suddenly, with control of his body restored, Sun Woo-jin felt it with absolute clarity.
He was truly alone now.
He called out belatedly.
“Ma… Master! Master! Maasteeer!”
But the title he had never dared to use went unanswered.
It was too late.
Sun Woo-jin landed back on the ground without delivering the final blow to Jeon Mu-gwang.
Two tears streamed down his stunned face.
And in the next moment, Jeon Mu-gwang also crashed to the earth, his body torn to tatters.
Kuuuuung!
His body was crushed and broken in countless places, as if his bones had shattered.
Yet even in that state, he rapidly regenerated, desperately trying to rise.
Ha Cheong-yeon, looking alarmed, shouted at Sun Woo-jin.
“Sun Woo Gongja! What are you doing…!”
She had expected him to seize the opportunity, so she couldn’t understand his dazed state.
At that moment, Jeon Mu-gwang finally stood.
“Ughhh!”
His battered body was already partially restored in that short time.
His regenerative power was truly incredible.
As he rose, his eyes blazed with a fierce, savage light as he glared at Ha Cheong-yeon and growled.
“So, you’re Ha Cheong-yeon. Looks like you’ve subdued Gwa-yeom?”
Ha Cheong-yeon bit her lip.
Although he had wrested control of his body from the Reversed Blood Fiend and briefly used her martial prowess to wield the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Art, it didn’t mean he truly possessed her level of skill.
Yet Jeon Mugwang was even stronger than a full-fledged Reversed Blood Fiend.
If they fought properly, there was no way he could stand against him.
The missed opportunity stung deeply.
Jeon Mugwang, who had been staring at Hae Cheong-yeon with greedy eyes despite her pained expression, suddenly turned his gaze back to Seon Woo-jin.
He didn’t know why, but instinctively, he understood.
The vacant, tear-streaked face before him was not the same person as before…
He was no longer the Sword Spirit.
Jeon Mugwang let out a low chuckle and spoke to him.
“Kid, looks like you’ve regained control of your body. Is he gone now?”
Seon Woo-jin met his gaze with sorrowful eyes—empty, hollow.
But to Jeon Mugwang, that didn’t matter in the slightest.
What mattered now was that his rival was gone.
“Heh heh heh! Good. Then you’d better be on your way too!”
With that, Jeon Mugwang lunged at Seon Woo-jin.
But at that very moment—
The ground beneath Jeon Mugwang suddenly swallowed him whole, pulling him down like quicksand.
“Ugh!”
He was horrified.
The earth had turned into a swamp, engulfing him completely.
Worse than when he had fought the Sword Spirit earlier.
Buried up to his neck and arms, he desperately tried to release his intangible energy.
But as he drew in breath to shout, his throat closed up, and all that came out were choked, strangled sounds.
“Gahk!”
No matter how hard he tried to inhale, air refused to enter his lungs.
Suddenly, breathing became impossible.
Without an intake of breath, he couldn’t release his energy through an exhale.
Jeon Mugwang’s eyes widened in terror as he glared at Seon Woo-jin—the source of it all.
It felt like he was possessed by a ghost.
But Seon Woo-jin’s gaze wasn’t on Jeon Mugwang.
He was staring off into empty space.
Not the present, but the past; not reality, but a dreamlike memory.
Thanks to his one proud gift—his blessed memory—he could recall everything.
His first meeting with his master, their conversations, and all the lessons he had learned…
“Master…”
Because of that, he remembered the sensation too.
The feeling of the Mang Art his master had used while fighting Jeon Mugwang just moments ago.
And that sensation was the essence of the Mang Art.
To realize oneness with heaven and earth—that was the core of the Mang Art.
It was an incredible coincidence.
The Sword Spirit, who had never managed to pass on the Mang Art to his disciples while alive, had unintentionally found the perfect way to pass it on after death.
Thanks to that, Seon Woo-jin, having grasped the Mang Art, was able to break through the barrier of the Flower Realm in an instant.
He had reached an even higher level than when the Sword Spirit had moved moments before.
Seon Woo-jin suddenly shifted his gaze and, with an indifferent look, met Jeon Mugwang’s eyes.
“If you forget me—”
At that moment, Jeon Mugwang’s eyeballs burst.
Fshhh!
“Arghhh!”
Jeon Mugwang clutched his eyes in agony from the sudden pain.
The air pressure had literally popped his eyes out, though he had no way of knowing why.
Seon Woo-jin continued speaking.
“There is only heaven and earth.”
At that moment, blood burst from Jeon Mugwang’s ears as well.
The air pressure had torn his eardrums apart.
Pshhh!
“Ughhh!”
Jeon Mugwang tried to scream in unbearable pain.
But even that was impossible.
There was no air left in his lungs to make a sound.
All he could do was choke and thrash about.
Slowly approaching the deafened, helpless man, Seon Woo-jin kept speaking.
“If you awaken to the truth that heaven and earth are me, and I am heaven and earth—”
With a blank expression, Seon Woo-jin muttered those words, then raised the Mukrang Sword above Jeon Mugwang’s struggling head.
And with his final words—
“He will become a legend.”
The Mukrang Sword silently sliced through the space between them.
It was a quiet ‘Creation’ unlike before.
Shhhhk!
Seon Woo-jin tore his gaze away from the now-split Jeon Mugwang and looked down at the Mukrang Sword in his hand with sad eyes.
It was all over.
The war with the Blood Sect.
The nightmare of the past.
And even the joyful journey with his master.
He turned around and saw his companions rushing toward him, cheering loudly.