The leader had not been pierced through by Yoo Jin-gwang’s sword, but it was close enough. The blade had stopped just short of a full penetration, yet the damage was severe, leaving a deep wound in his organs.

“Hmm, hmm.”

The leader hadn’t been caught off guard due to a lack of skill. Yoo Jin-gwang was indeed one of the top martial artists in the world, but he wasn’t yet at the level to land a blow on the leader.

It was more a matter of Yoo Jin-gwang’s bizarrely bold strategy and decisiveness. No matter how skilled the leader was, he couldn’t predict Yoo Jin-gwang’s unconventional thinking, nor the immediate decisions that followed.

Clutching his bleeding abdomen, the leader retreated.

Ordinary people might have worried about their comrade Yoo Jin-gwang, but those fighting the leader were all martial artists.

Martial artists often think differently from normal people. They prioritized exploiting the leader’s vulnerability to end the fight over checking on Yoo Jin-gwang’s condition.

As the leader’s shadow stretched across the snow, Namgung Young appeared silently, thrusting his sword at the leader. The leader stepped back, swinging his sword fiercely to deflect Namgung Young’s attack.

Then, Gwan Rim-sook and Sam An-bul charged at the leader. Though the battle hadn’t been long, both were already covered in blood from parrying the leader’s sword with their bodies.

“Hmm!”

Sam An-bul’s massive palm flew toward the leader.

Whoosh~

The air was sliced by the force of the strike. Yet, despite the power behind his palm, Sam An-bul’s mind was a tangled mess.

Throughout the battle with the leader, conflicting emotions churned within him.

His attachment to the cult and the regret of its downfall. The desire to kill the leader cleanly and help Yeom So-heuk survive. The hope that Yeom So-heuk would rebuild the cult.

The longing and sorrow for the departed Hwa Yeon-shin. The urge to thwart the leader’s plans and take revenge by ending the cult’s legacy.

These opposing thoughts constantly shook Sam An-bul’s heart.

The leader couldn’t know exactly what Sam An-bul was thinking, but he could easily sense the turmoil in Sam An-bul’s mind.

The leader’s sword, wielded with cunning, sliced through the air just before it reached Sam An-bul’s fist. At a glance, it seemed the leader’s sword couldn’t withstand Sam An-bul’s strength.

But it was a feint. Beneath the leader’s right hand, near his armpit, his left index finger was aimed at Sam An-bul’s throat. Yet, lost in his thoughts, Sam An-bul failed to notice the leader’s hidden strike.

Just as the leader’s finger unleashed an invisible force to pierce Sam An-bul’s neck—

“Get a grip!”

Man Ryuk-seung shoulder-checked Sam An-bul out of the way. He then extended his glowing right arm toward the leader’s finger.

Thud.

Of course, Man Ryuk-seung couldn’t completely block the leader’s strike.

The invisible force from the leader’s finger pierced Man Ryuk-seung’s palm, then continued to tear through his wrist and elbow.

“Ugh!”

Man Ryuk-seung felt his arm shatter within, realizing he would never use it again.

But he didn’t despair. After all, even the great Hye-ga, a disciple of Bodhidharma, had only one arm. And Namgung Myung, standing nearby, was living well with one arm.

Enduring the pain, Man Ryuk-seung swung his remaining arm. The leader, having gained all he could from the brief exchange, stepped back.

Now, Hyun Gong and Kang Nam-nam charged at the leader. As they drew their swords, the Namgung family joined in, surrounding the leader.

Three masters from the martial world, Namgung Jin, and the now-recovered Sam An-bul, five in total, encircled the leader, continuing their assault.

“I’m sorry, I can’t assist with that.”

“What on earth…”

The leader’s skill was formidable, creating a sword from pure energy, not just enveloping a blade with it. Those facing the leader began to think that this battle might be more challenging than they had anticipated.

Man Ryuk-seung, who had stepped back, was the first to make a decision. If the situation was dire, it was better to gamble and end the fight quickly.

“Tang Gang-ju!”

Tang Mu-jin had two tasks.

First, to launch a signal at the start of the fight, helping others surround the leader. Second, if they couldn’t subdue the leader, to deliver a fatal blow.

Man Ryuk-seung’s shout signaled that it was time for Tang Mu-jin to carry out the second task.

Tang Mu-jin dashed toward the leader.

“I never thought it would come to this!”

He had to make contact with the leader, disrupting his energy flow.

Twisting the leader’s energy channels, intertwining those that should never meet, to create a continuous poison within the leader’s body. Though the process was risky, it was the surest way to kill the leader.

Fear gripped him. The closer he got to the leader, the more his heart pounded wildly.

“Please, please!”

Of course, Tang Mu-jin wasn’t alone in this task.

The others surrounding the leader knew Tang Mu-jin’s mission and risked their lives to play their parts. Their goal was to block the leader’s movements, creating an opening for Tang Mu-jin.

Tang Mu-jin’s martial arts weren’t exceptional, so they had to create a definite gap, even at great risk.

Thus, Sam An-bul and Man Ryuk-seung charged at the leader like a massive boulder, ready to be cut down by his sword if it meant stopping him with their weight and speed.

Namgung Gwang, Hyun Gong, Kang Yi-nam, and Namgung Jin-cheon drew their swords simultaneously, trying to hinder the leader’s movements. The leader swung his sword twice, deflecting all four blades. Then, with a sword made of pure energy, he aimed at Tang Mu-jin. But at the last moment, Sam An-bul’s massive palm pushed the leader’s arm aside.

A miraculous, brief opening.

Suddenly, Hyun Gong’s words came to mind. He had said there were two chances, one for each arm. Tang Mu-jin braced himself, fearing his arm might be severed, and drew his hidden weapon.

Fortunately, Tang Mu-jin’s arm remained intact. His hand touched the leader’s forearm.

In that fleeting moment, Tang Mu-jin focused all his senses, channeling his energy into the leader’s body.

The Spleen Meridian and the Triple Burner Meridian. Or perhaps the Large Intestine Meridian and the Kidney Meridian.

As long as it led to a fatal outcome, it didn’t matter which meridian he targeted. Tang Mu-jin’s energy raced through the leader’s body at lightning speed, from elbow to elbow—

But as his energy crossed the leader’s shoulder, Tang Mu-jin felt a powerful resistance within the leader’s body. The leader, sensing Tang Mu-jin’s intent, was circulating his energy in reverse.

In that split second, Tang Mu-jin’s energy, thin and weak, couldn’t withstand the leader’s whirlwind-like flow and dissipated instantly.

Simultaneously, the leader unleashed his energy, which he had been circulating fiercely within.

Boom—

A brief rumble. All those gathered around the leader were flung back as if struck by an invisible force. The impact was especially severe for Man Ryuk-seung, Sam An-bul, and Tang Mu-jin, who had made direct contact with the leader.

Tang Mu-jin, Sam An-bul, and Man Ryuk-seung all staggered, coughing up blood.

Compared to Sam An-bul and Man Ryuk-seung, Tang Mu-jin’s internal injuries were less severe. But the problem lay in his external injuries. His right arm, which had touched the leader’s forearm, dangled broken. His left arm, too, seemed to have muscle or joint issues, as it wouldn’t respond properly.

The leader checked himself for any abnormalities, then burst into laughter.

“An odd attempt, Tang Gang-ju.”

Tang Mu-jin couldn’t bring himself to respond.

“I thought everything would be resolved once I made contact with the leader. I never imagined it would be countered like this…”

The ones who bore the brunt of the leader’s energy blast were Tang Mu-jin, Sam An-bul, and Man Ryuk-seung. However, the most precarious situation belonged to Namgung Jin-cheon. Tang Mu-jin sensed a faint unease in Namgung Jin-cheon’s sword as he aimed it at the leader once more.

“Is his vital energy already depleting?”

The leader, now wielding two swords made of pure energy, began to rampage. Despite the blood pouring from his abdomen, he moved as if unscathed.

The anxiety in the swords of those facing the leader began to spread.

Everyone was silently wondering when Namgung Jin-cheon’s vital energy would run out. And they were already envisioning the dire situation that would follow once it did.

It was clear as day that if Namgung Jincheon withdrew from the front lines, the precarious balance they had managed to maintain would collapse entirely. Hong Gyeolgae tried desperately to fill the void with his martial arts, but he knew deep down that he was not much help in the chaos of battle.

Speaking clearly enough for even the onlookers to hear, Hong Gyeolgae lamented, “If only Master Gyuson were still alive…”

In that moment, Dang Mujin sensed a strange energy among the warriors facing the cult leader. What was that heat he felt?

After a brief contemplation, Dang Mujin recognized it: resolve. A steely determination shone in Jang Il-nam’s eyes and was embedded in Sam An-bong’s fists. Dang Mujin understood what this meant. Following Namgung Jincheon, both Sam An-bong and Jang Il-nam were ready to unleash their inner power.

Unlike Namgung Young or Hyun Gong, who clung to life with all their might, Sam An-bong and Jang Il-nam were different. They had lost their greatest support. Did they still harbor any desire for life, any lingering attachment to survival?

Even if a thin thread of attachment remained, could such a fragile hope truly hold onto their lives?

No, it couldn’t. Surely, they—

No, it wasn’t just the two of them.

“Yu Daehyup!”

Yu Jingwang, though blind, was clumsily gauging the battlefield through the sounds of footsteps and clashing swords. Now, excitement began to weave into his breath.

Unlike Sam An-bong or Jang Il-nam, Yu Jingwang was drawing out his inner power with pure determination and longing. Even without his sight, he was driven by a fierce desire to strike one more blow with his sword.

It was then that Dang Mujin snapped back to reality. ‘Because of one failure of mine, three people are risking everything to unleash their power?’

No, that couldn’t be. It shouldn’t be.

Everyone else had fulfilled their roles successfully. The failure to kill the cult leader was solely his responsibility.

Dang Mujin believed he had to fulfill his own role and couldn’t shift the blame onto others.

With a final spit of blood, Dang Mujin forced himself to stand.

He looked at Namgung Jincheon, who was tirelessly swinging his sword, driven by a desire to advance even a single step further, to leap even an inch higher.

Then he turned to Yu Jingwang beside him, a gambler willing to stake not only his sight but his very life.

Inhaling deeply, Dang Mujin focused on the cult leader.

Exhaling slowly, he felt the three deadly toxins he had used in the past rise within him. The venom coursed through his heart, and with each pounding heartbeat, it shot into his brain.

The first toxin seeped into his mind.

The breathing of those around him, the footsteps of those fighting the cult leader, the intervals between clashing swords—all seemed to slow. The world decelerated, and time itself seemed to stretch.

The second toxin followed.

His pulse raced wildly, and his senses expanded to the point of madness. He could hear the faint sound of sunlight touching the ground, and with that faint sound, he could visualize the scene behind him as if he were seeing it with his own eyes.

In exchange for these superhuman senses, Dang Mujin paid a steep price. The overwhelming information flooding his mind brought a stabbing headache.

But the headache was not the biggest problem. His survival instincts were trying to shut down his consciousness to protect him.

Then, the third toxin seeped into his mind.

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, his mind cleared again. With this immense clarity, Dang Mujin pushed past the limits his instincts had set to protect him, stepping onto the edge of a high cliff.

Dang Mujin closed his eyes. His survival instincts shut down, and in his mind’s eye, he too closed his eyes.

Darkness enveloped the world.

Yet, the sound of a fierce wind roared in his ears. In his mind, Dang Mujin walked slowly along the cliff’s edge, a single misstep away from plummeting into the unknown below.

As he pushed himself to the brink of life and death, a transparent haze began to rise around him, reminiscent of when he unleashed his ultimate technique.

But this time, he wasn’t trying to unleash that technique.

He recalled the past, the spring day eleven years ago when he left the Tang family clinic with his mentor.

In those eleven years, Dang Mujin had achieved much success, but he had also faced many failures. Small failures, and significant ones.

Failure, the greatest teacher, had taught him much.

But today, Dang Mujin needed no lessons.

He quietly resolved: Today, I will not fail. Not today.

Dang Mujin spoke.

“Yu Daehyup.”

“Yes?”

“If we can gather all the winnings, there’s no need to reclaim the coins we wagered, is there?”

Yu Jingwang didn’t immediately grasp the meaning of this cryptic statement. Instead, the response came from Dang Mujin’s sharpest friend, Hyun Gong.

“You crazy bastard!”

Dang Mujin laughed. Even Hyun Gong’s curses were just another stake on the table.

Once more, Dang Mujin focused his mind.

His determination resonated, and the three deadly toxins subsided. The toxins touched his heart, and once again, traveled to his brain with each heartbeat.

When he unleashed his ultimate technique, Dang Mujin would walk the cliff’s edge, carefully balancing the amount of toxin.

But now, he didn’t hold back.

There would be no next time. No room to think about the aftermath. What Dang Mujin needed now was one thing: a single success.

Perhaps the last breath of his life.

Dang Mujin took ten steps back from the cliff’s edge. He crouched low, tensing his legs.

And exhaled.

In his mind, Dang Mujin opened his eyes. Then, he sprinted with all his might.

The cliff’s edge loomed, and beyond it, nothing was visible. Could he miraculously return to the cliff’s top?

No, surely not.

But he wasn’t afraid.

How far could he go? Could he drive the deepest dagger into the cult leader?

That was all that mattered to Dang Mujin now.

Toward the slimmest chance, and toward a clear death, Dang Mujin leaped with all his strength from the cliff’s edge.

At that moment, the second wave of toxins flooded his mind.

His consciousness blossomed with clarity.

And as he surpassed his final limits, reaching the highest point he could in his life, Dang Mujin opened his eyes wide and fixed his gaze on the cult leader.