Became a God-Level M Chapter 217 : Dipper-Turning Star Shift

Chapter 217: Dipper-Turning Star Shift

The martial artists of the Hanma Division had arrived.

Hyeon-un silently let out a sigh as he gauged the level of their martial skills.

Even having just Han Seo-pung, the Grand Elder of Hanma Heaven, made the situation grim, and the man referred to as the Division Leader of Hanma was clearly a Peak-level Master as well.

Moreover, even Mu-wol, the escort assigned to Ha Cheong-a, was no less than that level.

There were three Peak-level Masters present, and most of the others had surpassed the Master level as well.

In terms of sheer power, it felt as if the elite of a major sect had gathered in full force.

‘This is bad.’

However, he didn’t show his thoughts on the surface.

Hyeon-un was an experienced martial artist. He knew better than anyone how critical montum was in battle.

He glanced around at the others.

‘Those two are fine.’

As expected, Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom showed no sign of shrinking back despite the opponents’ strength.

The real problem lay with the later-generation prodigies like Seomun Ak. Though they tried to hide it, tension and fear were gradually surfacing on their faces.

Thus, he spoke.

“Poison Phoenix, until the Tang Clan arrives, fight as if you're going to use every last drop of your poison.”

The atmosphere in the field shifted slightly.

Before coming here, letters had been sent to each clan and sect.

If they could just hold out, there was a chance reinforcents might arrive. Though the chances of the battle ending before the letters even reached their destinations were much higher...

Still, Hyeon-un deliberately stated as if he was sure they would co.

“Seung-ryong! Before the Abbot arrives, slay the demons and prove your worth!”

This ti, the ones who stirred were the martial artists of Hanma Division.

The Demonic Cult mbers generally harbored disdain for the martial artists of the Central Plains. But Shaolin was a special case—both hated and feared.

Because every martial art of Shaolin carried the energy of evil-slaying and demon-subduing.

‘Just hold on a little longer.’

This was a battle where they had to secure two victories.

First, he, Jin Seong-un, and Seo Yu-gyeom had to overco the Peak-level Masters.

anwhile, the later-generation prodigies had to survive.

If either of these failed, the outco of the battle would be painfully clear.

If their own top fighters were defeated, the remaining prodigies would have to face the Peak-level Masters of the Demonic Cult. Their survival would be impossible.

Likewise, if the prodigies collapsed too quickly, their top fighters would have to fight the Peak-level Masters while also fending off a dozen Master-level opponents. Again, their chances of victory would be zero.

As Hyeon-un collected his thoughts—

Han Seo-pung of Hanma Heaven began to raise his montum. The cold air he unleashed clashed with the blizzard swirling around him, scattering fine ice crystals in all directions.

Facing Hyeon-un, Han Seo-pung wore a leisurely smile. Between two old masters who must kill each other, there was no longer any need for words.

Han Seo-pung's figure vanished like a snuffed-out fla.

Kaang—!

Before anyone noticed, a pale blue Qi Sword, forged of frost, was in his hand.

The Taiji Sword, enveloped in vivid sword flux, blocked it directly.

The two n remained locked in a clash of strength for a mont. The gaze they exchanged over crossed blades brimd with the will to kill.

Cha-cha-cha-chang—!

Han Seo-pung swung his sword repeatedly.

The blizzard intensified, turning the field into a haze. His frost-forged Qi Sword resembled the storm around them in both nature and hue.

What was already a swift blade transford into a chilling slash hidden within the snowstorm.

Hyeon-un pushed his senses to the limit, slowly retreating as he parried. Every rapid strike that surged toward him was either deflected or brushed aside.

With each clash of blades, the unique chill of the Ice Arts seeped into Hyeon-un’s body.

He stirred his inner qi to expel the cold and spoke.

“Do you think a re demonic blade can break Taiji?”

The best defense was an overwhelming offense.

And the best offense was a perfect defense.

The Wudang Sect’s sword clearly pursued the latter.

Along with Zhongnan, it was said to be the hardest sword to breach in the world.

Seeing Hyeon-un's confidence, Han Seo-pung smirked and replied.

“What could be more delightful than shattering soone’s certainty?”

The sword flux enveloping both n’s swords grew even denser and more vivid.

…

…

…

While the fierce clash between the two old masters raged on—

Jin Seong-un looked toward the stairs Han Seo-pung had descended. Confirming the children's safety took precedence before fighting.

The reason they had chosen to fight instead of retreating was precisely because of the children.

Jin Seong-un began walking toward the chamber at the bottom of the stairs.

Noticing this, Han Seo-pung shouted.

“Division Leader of Hanma!”

At the sa mont, a streak of silvery light cut across the battlefield, racing toward Jin Seong-un.

Han Myeong-won, Division Leader of Hanma Division.

True to his Peak-level Master status, he closed in at incredible speed, swinging sword flux at Jin Seong-un’s throat.

Jin Seong-un didn’t make any evasive moves.

Han Myeong-won assud the young Guest Dragon couldn’t even react to his attack.

But just before the sword flux could reach him, it struck a cold blade and was blocked.

Kaang—!

It was none other than the Heaven-Slaying Dagger.

Hanma’s Division Leader and Seo Yu-gyeom t eyes at close range.

“Huh, at that age, and already Peak-level?”

Hanma’s Division Leader let out a hollow laugh.

He himself had reached that realm only at the age of fifty.

Yet here was a man who looked barely twenty-five, already standing on the sa level.

Seo Yu-gyeom nodded calmly.

Since it had been a while since he last spoke, he cleared his throat a couple of tis and then said,

“And you’re only Peak-level at your age?”

A faint flush crept up the Division Leader’s previously pale face.

Seo Yu-gyeom fought with two blades. One was the Heaven-Slaying Dagger in his hand, the other a tongue rely three inches long.

“You little...!”

The Division Leader’s anger flared visibly.

The Demonic Cult strictly upheld strength above all. As a Division Leader commanding the elite of the Seven Demon Heavens, he was undoubtedly a powerhouse.

Because of that, having grown up in the Demonic Cult, he had experienced very few insults.

Perhaps that was why—he reacted sharply to Seo Yu-gyeom’s light verbal jabs.

‘Oh?’

A gleam flickered in Seo Yu-gyeom’s eyes.

Though the enemy slightly outmatched him in martial skills, there was hope he could bridge the gap using the Sword of the Tongue—speech.

If one were to define him precisely, Seo Yu-gyeom was more of a dual swordsman.

Thanks to Seo Yu-gyeom holding off the Division Leader with both his blades, Jin Seong-un could descend the stairs toward the chamber unimpeded.

Watching this from a corner of the battlefield, Ha Cheong-a exchanged a look with her escort, Mu-wol, who stood beside her.

In response, Mu-wol gave a single nod with a blank expression and began walking toward the stairs.

Jin Seong-un stepped into the chamber at the bottom of the stairs. It was a space far larger and darker than expected. It was pitch black—he couldn't even see a hand in front of his face, so he conjured the Threefold True Fla on his palm.

Fwoosh—!

The surroundings lit up at once.

The interior of the chamber—or perhaps more accurately, a massive cavern—was fully illuminated.

“Hah.”

Jin Seong-un let out a rare, incredulous sigh.

The hundreds of children who had disappeared from all over the Central Plains were right here.

So were leaning against walls, others sprawled on the ground.

All of them had vacant expressions, not even the slightest focus in their eyes.

Even with a stranger entering and lighting fire on his palm, not a single child looked up. The scene clearly showed their condition.

Still, they were all alive. A small grace amidst the misfortune.

After taking in the sight of the children, Jin Seong-un turned around.

Mu-wol, who had been by Ha Cheong-a’s side, now stood blocking the exit.

With an emotionless face, Mu-wol drew a straight saber from his waist. The blade was a pitch-black dagger.

Jin Seong-un t his gaze calmly.

This would not be an easy opponent.

Even though they had yet to exchange a single strike, he could already sense that the opponent’s martial ability neared the pinnacle of Peak-level.

Jin Seong-un likewise drew his straight saber.

Then Mu-wol spoke in a parched voice.

“There is no malice. Just die.”

Mu-wol sliced through the air as he charged.

Jin Seong-un imdiately recognized his saber technique.

‘Black Wolf Saber Art.’

Jin Seong-un judged it to be the highest-level Black Wolf Saber Art he had encountered, second only to the rchant King.

In other words, the Myriad Gold Manor’s efforts to restore the Black Wolf Saber Art were bearing fruit.

Chang—!

Their straight sabers collided head-on.

Mu-wol’s eyes widened slightly. He too seed to have realized what Jin Seong-un’s saber technique was.

Regardless, Jin Seong-un raised his sensory perception, observing the outer battlefield.

The chaos of combat had already erupted.

He wasn't worried about the Chef. Even if the Hanma Division Leader proved stronger, Seo the Chef wasn’t soone who would be defeated so easily.

The real issue lay elsewhere.

Jin Seong-un drew a thick, radiant saber flux that lit up the dark cavern and spoke.

“I can’t afford to lose our innkeeper. Let’s end this quickly.”

While Jin Seong-un, Seo Yu-gyeom, and Hyeon-un each fought their own battles, the later-generation prodigies were also embroiled in the lee.

‘...This is insane.’

Sword Dragon Moyong Hyeon cursed inwardly.

More than fifteen Master-level opponents were attacking them in unison. anwhile, they had only six on their side.

The only fortunate thing was that their enemies were complacent. They didn’t seem to consider the possibility of losing.

Perhaps that was to be expected.

Even if they were successors of the Five Great Clans or Nine Sects One Gang, these were still later-generation prodigies who hadn't even reached their thirties.

Their advancent to the Master level or beyond at such a young age marked them as extraordinary geniuses in the Central Plains—but against experienced Master-level martial artists, that ant little.

Moyong Hyeon continued thinking even as he stood at death’s door dozens of tis.

Calculation was his way of life.

He quickly assessed the situation.

‘Seomun Ak and Baek Sang will die.’

That was Moyong Hyeon’s conclusion.

At least Poison Phoenix wasn’t being actively targeted by the demonic practitioners. Poison knew no bounds of strength.

The sa was true for Seung-ryong. The righteous aura of demon-subjugation he possessed was as deadly as poison to the Demonic Cult mbers.

Neung Sogae of the Beggars’ Union was struggling, but Kang Dragon Palm was barely keeping him alive. And Dragon Seizer of Mount Hua was fighting better than expected.

The swirling blizzard combined with the dazzling Plum Blossom made it difficult for opponents to focus their gaze.

Kaang—!

Moyong Hyeon parried the frenzied blade of a Demonic Cultist and briefly caught his breath.

The Moyong Clan’s sword arts inherently had a nature of reversal. Even against a stronger opponent, they could partially redirect their opponent’s energy, making it easier to hold out.

“Ugh!”

Seomun Ak let out a groan.

A Demonic Cultist’s sharp claw technique had torn deeply into his shoulder.

The Demonic Cultists of Hanma Heaven used an array of martial techniques—sword, saber, palm, fist, even claw techniques.

Unlike Sword Demon Heaven or Saber Demon Heaven, who each followed a specific weapon, their identity was rooted in Ice Arts itself.

Seomun Ak clutched his shoulder and staggered back. The blood that fell dyed the snow at his feet red.

Seeing this, Moyong Hyeon paused to think.

‘Should I run?’

If Seomun Ak died, things would grow even more difficult.

Each person would have to take on more opponents.

And then Baek Sang would surely die next.

Each death would create a burden for the others, forming a vicious cycle.

Of course, deciding to flee didn’t guarantee success. But if there was ever a chance to escape, it was now—while everyone was still alive.

‘First, I’ll ask Poison Phoenix to spread so poison...’

Just as he was plotting his escape—

Moyong Hyeon’s eyes fell on the entrance to the chamber where Jin Seong-un and Ha Cheong-a’s escort had gone.

A rush of mories flickered through his mind.

The duel with Guest Dragon, his commanding presence over the Special Task Force, how he outmaneuvered even the eldest daughter of Myriad Gold Manor in negotiations.

He had uncovered formations and shattered them with a single sword swing. He had collapsed the floor and exposed the sins of the world’s greatest trading company.

It all seed almost unreal.

When the Special Task Force was first ford, their mission felt overwhelmingly hopeless.

But before he knew it, the Qingcheng Sect’s betrayal was exposed. Then they had arrived at Martial Palace. And now they stood here, crossing swords with the masterminds.

At the center of it all was just one man. A man who supposedly only ran an inn.

‘Will he die?’

Moyong Hyeon shook his head.

Guest Dragon would not die. The one who would erge alive from that chamber would undoubtedly be him.

Could even the Hanma Division Leader kill him?

‘No, he can't.’

Then what about Baek Magwi, the Elder of Hanma Heaven?

Moyong Hyeon soon reached a conclusion.

Guest Dragon—Jin Seong-un—would not die.

That was the evaluation Moyong Hyeon arrived at based on everything he had seen, heard, and experienced.

And that left only one course of action.

Assu Guest Dragon would return.

And endure.

If they intended to endure, then not a single one of them could die. With every death, the chance of survival would sharply decrease.

How could they hold out and survive against opponents both stronger and more nurous?

Moyong Hyeon’s brilliant mind swiftly reached the answer.

Everyone, listen to

carefully.

His voice transmission reached all the later-generation prodigies.

The Moyong Clan’s swordsmanship was built to face stronger opponents. And if several individuals combined their strength, nothing surpassed a sword formation.

Therefore, Moyong Hyeon declared—

We will form a sword formation. Specifically, I intend to incorporate the essence of the Moyong Clan’s secret technique, Dipper-Turning Star Shift, into the formation.

Of course, such a sword formation did not actually exist.

He planned to create one on the spot, transforming swordsmanship into a sword formation. Making the entire formation one vast, cohesive sword art.

Moyong Hyeon believed in his own insight and talent.

Even if it failed, what did they have to lose? If they kept going as they were, they’d all die anyway.

Everyone was stunned by his words.

Even setting aside the idea of transforming swordsmanship into a formation—his words ant he was revealing the secrets of his clan’s technique to outsiders.