Episode 279: Bloodied

A massive wave of energy surged forward.

Hong Geolgae sprang back, distancing himself from the Twin Polar Blood Elder, and planted his feet firmly on the ground, assuming a horse stance.

His palms traced a slow circle before facing forward.

“Dragon’s Roar!”

True to his nickname, the “Roaring Tiger,” Hong Geolgae shouted the name of his technique with all his might.

Of course, Jin Hae wasn’t just standing by idly. He had his own role to play.

The Cheongseong Sect primarily wielded swords as their weapon of choice. However, the martial art Jin Hae was most confident in wasn’t swordsmanship but a palm technique known as the Heart-Piercing Palm. It was the same technique he used to kill the Twin Lights of Danghang.

Jin Hae had learned most of the Cheongseong Sect’s martial arts. Yet, the only technique he truly understood beyond mere form and sequence was the Heart-Piercing Palm.

A palm technique imbued with a deadly intent unbefitting an ordinary Taoist.

A resolve to shatter the opponent’s heart.

A mindset to tear the enemy apart.

All these intentions aligned in a similar direction, allowing even the slow-witted Jin Hae to grasp the essence of the Heart-Piercing Palm.

And he thought, the true essence of the Cheongseong Sect’s martial arts must lie here.

Standing beside Hong Geolgae, Jin Hae extended his palms forward, adding his strength. He didn’t forget to mimic Hong Geolgae by shouting the name of his technique.

“Heart-Piercing Palm!”

Soon, the massive wave of energy enveloped the two of them.

Even without their palms touching, the overwhelming force made Jin Hae’s wrists tremble.

The residual energy that couldn’t be dissipated struck his face, causing a nosebleed. His nose throbbed, possibly broken.

It wasn’t a perfect defense.

Yet, it was the most successful defense Jin Hae and Hong Geolgae could muster.

Hong Geolgae picked up his staff and shouted, “I’ll handle the Twin Polar Blood Elder! Subdue the Demon King!”

Namgung Myung and Hyun Gong didn’t hesitate, launching themselves at the Demon King.

Jin Hae followed suit. It was clear to anyone that the most dangerous person here wasn’t the Twin Polar Blood Elder but the Demon King.

However, standing before the Demon King, Jin Hae felt a wave of despair.

He had once thought of the late Young Heoja as a towering figure, but the Demon King was on an even higher, more unyielding level. His hands felt powerless.

‘Can I even reach the Demon King?’

Yet, Hyun Gong and Namgung Myung reacted differently from Jin Hae.

Despite knowing the opponent’s skill more precisely than Jin Hae, they swung their swords at the Demon King without hesitation.

Jin Hae looked into Namgung Myung’s eyes. The subtle madness mixed with exhilaration.

Jin Hae finally understood what Namgung Myung meant by “bloodied.” It wasn’t a complex metaphor. It was the attitude of being ready to accept death at any moment, pouring everything into a single blade.

In a situation where one misstep meant death, they entrusted their lives to the tip of their swords, rising above fear. Jin Hae felt this deeply in his heart.

Namgung Myung’s advice was all correct. The opinions of others didn’t matter at all.

The countless regrets he harbored in his heart were meaningless. After all, such things couldn’t be placed on the edge of a blade.

Hyun Gong was the same. Usually rational, but in this moment, the madness and fervor in Hyun Gong’s eyes were no less than Namgung Myung’s.

Jin Hae watched the two men who had embraced the path of blood.

Finally, strength returned to Jin Hae’s hands.

Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, Jin Hae recalled the insights left by Young Heoja.

The countless stories Young Heoja had shared. Among the vague and elusive tales, the swordsmanship held the greatest weight.

The Cheongseong Sect’s ultimate technique, the Azure Cloud Descending Sword.

‘I think I understand something.’

Jin Hae felt that his Azure Cloud Descending Sword had become sharper than before.

Yet, it was still clumsy enough that even he couldn’t fully comprehend it.

If before, his sword was like a cart with both wheels broken, now it was like a cart with only one wheel damaged, wobbling in place.

‘Damn it.’

Jin Hae discarded his sword and resorted to the martial art he was most confident in. The Heart-Piercing Palm.

The power of the Heart-Piercing Palm was still lacking and clumsy compared to the martial arts of Hyun Gong or Namgung Myung. But that didn’t matter. Jin Hae had finally stepped onto the path of blood.

Jin Hae believed he was fighting desperately, but the person in the most danger wasn’t the three facing the Demon King, but Hong Geolgae.

Hong Geolgae was left alone to face the Twin Polar Blood Elder.

‘Damn it.’

Even with one arm lost, the elder was still a supreme master. With just a single spear, he could easily fend off Hong Geolgae’s staff.

A faint smile appeared on the Twin Polar Blood Elder’s lips.

“What courage keeps you standing before me?”

“Why else? This stick is more than enough to beat an old man with one arm.”

“Ridiculous.”

The Twin Polar Blood Elder said, swinging his spear like lightning to knock down the flying chakram.

A faint purple hue lingered on the chakram’s blade. It seemed Dang Moojin had coated it with poison before throwing it.

If Hong Geolgae could fully capture the Twin Polar Blood Elder’s attention, the chakram would have been devastating. But Hong Geolgae alone couldn’t force the elder to exert his full strength.

As proof, the Twin Polar Blood Elder effortlessly blocked the chakram while dealing with Hong Geolgae.

Yet, it wasn’t a situation where he could blame Dang Moojin.

Dang Moojin was still holding off the remaining top-tier and supreme masters of the demonic sect, occasionally lending a hand to Hong Geolgae.

Hong Geolgae was in a precarious position, but he couldn’t ask for help.

‘Still, fighting like this gives us the best chance. I have to hold off the Twin Polar Blood Elder until they subdue the Demon King.’

Of course, it would be faster to subdue the Twin Polar Blood Elder with combined efforts than to subdue the Demon King.

But doing so would mean taking the full brunt of the Demon King’s attacks, leaving no way to survive.

’…Actually, I don’t even know if they can subdue the Demon King.’

The Demon King was effortlessly pushing back Hyun Gong, Namgung Myung, and Jin Hae.

‘They need to subdue the Demon King and come to my aid, or I need to subdue the Twin Polar Blood Elder and go to theirs.’

Both scenarios seemed unlikely. Could such a thing even happen?

At that moment, the Twin Polar Blood Elder’s spear came flying. Hong Geolgae twisted his body desperately, but the spear grazed his shoulder. Another line of blood was drawn on Hong Geolgae’s body. Before he knew it, Hong Geolgae was also bloodied.

The Twin Polar Blood Elder chuckled.

“If you’re going to have idle thoughts, make them happy ones. They’ll be your last.”

“Do you think you can beat me just because I’m distracted? I could fight you drunk and still win.”

Hong Geolgae said, leaping back and pulling out a flask from his waist. The half-full liquor sloshed inside.

He downed the strong drink in one go and charged at the Twin Polar Blood Elder again.

On a normal day, it would take some time for the alcohol to take effect.

But today, having moved so vigorously, the intoxication came quickly.

His limbs tingled, and the pain dulled.

His mind grew hazy, and his steps felt like they were floating above the ground.

Steps that landed too soon or too late threw off his balance.

His erratic, spinning steps caught the opponent off guard, striking at unexpected angles.

“That drunken technique is as ridiculous as ever!”

As he executed the Drunken Eight Immortals Steps, the Twin Polar Blood Elder’s spear grazed him more frequently.

Yet, Hong Geolgae found a strange sense of calm. Confidence surged within him, knowing the spear wouldn’t pierce his heart just yet.

A seemingly random memory surfaced—Hong Geolgae recalled when he first met Dang Moojin.

He remembered the day of the torrential rain, the moment he was swept away by the currents of the Chungyeong River, hoping for someone to save him.

The hand that miraculously reached out to rescue him was vivid in his mind.

Now, it was his turn to extend a helping hand.

With his mind clouded by intoxication and blood loss, his life hanging by a thread on the spear’s edge, Hong Geolgae’s physical and mental steps moved out of sync.

His body circled the Twin Polar Blood Elder, holding him at bay, while his mind wandered to an indiscernible place.

Finally, Hong Geolgae felt as if the world was slowing down.

‘It’s finally here.’

It was a gamble with his life on the line.

Through his friends, and through the Blood Rain Guest and the Three-Eyed Buddha, Hong Geolgae had heard countless stories about reaching the next level.

A strange and precious secret that most masters would never share.

Every martial artist who had ever existed had struggled alone, stumbled, and wandered before finally stepping onto the next level.

But Hong Geolgae was different.

He used the countless stories as signposts, navigating the dark, moonless night with unwavering steps.

A vague journey, yet the fastest path.

Who else in the world could have found the next level so easily?

But like his friends, Hong Geolgae didn’t know where the starting point of that path was.

Enlightenment is like the sun.

A person who has achieved true enlightenment can clearly see their path under the blazing sun and confidently step forward.

But for Hong Geolgae, the sun had yet to rise.

He wasn’t walking a path illuminated by the sun’s light, but rather one he had to piece together from the vague descriptions of others.

His night vision was poor, and the path before him was nothing but a blur.

Yet, in the end, Hong Geolgae found the path. It was too vast and significant to overlook.

He knew exactly what he needed to do here.

He had to pause after finding a clue, then return and wait for the complete enlightenment to come to him.

“Stand at the perfect starting point of the path, and take slow, deliberate steps from the very beginning.”

This was the advice his three friends and the Blood Rain Guest had all given him.

However, the path Hong Geolgae saw now was even darker and more indistinct than the one his friends had described. His field of vision was narrow. He knew there was a path, but had no way to find its starting point.

No one else could show him the beginning of the path. It was something he had to discover through his own enlightenment.

Hong Geolgae’s steps came to a halt. But then, he recalled his master’s words.

“Jusan, why are you so eager to take on a disciple already? Why choose to become a burden?”

“The coming winter will surely be harsh.”

Yes, it would be a harsh winter.

Hong Geolgae knew this better than anyone, as he was already facing the cold winds of the Great War of Righteousness.

The impending Great War of Demons would be even more severe, if not worse.

But Hong Geolgae steeled his resolve.

“Even if I turn back now, can I truly gain enlightenment and stand at the starting point?”

Unlike his friends, who had swiftly moved toward the pinnacle after surpassing the peak, Hong Geolgae considered himself fortunate just to have reached the peak with his limited talent.

He had merely followed his friends, and by some stroke of luck, managed to surpass the peak.

Yes, his friends.

Hong Geolgae lifted his head.

Before the coldest winter arrives, some barley must sprout early to shield others from the wind. He believed that was his role.

Without standing at the path’s starting point, Hong Geolgae took a deep breath.

And then, he took a step beside the path.

In an instant, thick brambles grew along the roadside, entangling his legs.

There was no turning back now, no escape.

But Hong Geolgae wasn’t surprised. He had stepped forward fully aware of what lay ahead.

He turned his head to see where the path led. Finally, he could see the path’s full extent.

Had he seized the perfect opportunity, he might have ventured there. Such thoughts crossed his mind.

“But for now, this is enough.”

He had no regrets. It was a level beyond his means anyway.

Moreover, he hadn’t stood here with the intention of reaching the ultimate extreme of nothingness.

Hong Geolgae closed his eyes, then slowly opened them.

Once again, he saw the face of the Twin Blood Elder.

The Twin Blood Elder, who had been wielding his spear, sensed a subtle change.

An ordinary person might not have noticed, but the Twin Blood Elder couldn’t help but see it.

A young man not naturally inclined to impatience.

Yet, here he was, advancing to the next level more hastily than anyone else, looking directly at the Twin Blood Elder.

Hong Geolgae stepped forward, extending his right hand toward the elder’s knee.

“Jinryangbaekri.”

It was one of the moves from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms he had seen countless times. But its power was different now. As he extended his palm, the air and ground seemed to tremble heavily. The Twin Blood Elder raised his spear vertically, struggling to block Hong Geolgae’s technique.

Of course, Hong Geolgae’s move didn’t end there.

“Isangbingji.”

Hong Geolgae’s form slid back smoothly.

Finally, he planted his feet firmly on the ground, lowering his stance. His arms, which had been extended up and down, rotated in arcs.

The Twin Blood Elder had seen this stance more than once and knew all too well what move would follow.

A thought suddenly crossed the elder’s mind.

“If only I hadn’t lost my right arm at Gongdong Mountain. Then I could have easily subdued this young man.”

Finally, Hong Geolgae shouted with all his might.

“And once more, Hangryongyuhoe.”

At the end of his life, the Twin Blood Elder saw Hong Geolgae’s two palms.