Ha Inseong looked in the direction of the Cheonsu Fortress with a serious face.
Though he was usually playful in all matters, the scent of blood carried on the wind now was far too thick.
"More than one or two people have died."
Cheon Woojin was feeling it too. In fact, he could see and feel much more than Ha Inseong could.
Along with the scent of blood, a viscous energy was carried on the wind. Judging by the fragnts of that energy, it belonged to a master of a level that could easily destroy sothing like the Green Forest's main mountain.
"Should we run?"
Ha Inseong said. They had already gotten everything they needed from the Green Forest. It was none of their business whether they lived or died.
But there was no answer.
Cheon Woojin was just staring into the distance.
How much ti had passed like that?
"Go on ahead."
Saying so, Cheon Woojin began to walk in the direction of the Cheonsu Fortress. Just feeling the energy carried on the wind made his heart pound.
It was an energy he had felt before.
When he t the Blood Immortal and the Lust Demon during the mission to recover the corpse of the Giant Stone Monster. To be precise, it was the energy he felt when he saw the corpse of the Blood Immortal, who had died with his chest brutally torn open.
"You're going?"
By the ti Ha Inseong asked that, Cheon Woojin was already far away. Ha Inseong, who was watching his back, let out a low sigh and then moved his steps.
* * *
When Cheon Woojin arrived back at the Cheonsu Fortress.
An absurd scene was unfolding.
It was filled with blood and corpses. As it was around sunset, the surroundings felt even redder.
Everyone except the Green King was dead. There were no corpses with intact bodies, whether it be arms, legs, or necks.
Just by looking at the sword marks on the corpses, Cheon Woojin could recall the battle as if he had watched it right next to them.
The one who committed this massacre was a left-handed swordsman, about the sa height as Cheon Woojin himself. His level, at a minimum, was above the transcendent peak.
Kang-!
Suddenly, a tallic sound erupted from behind the Cheonsu Fortress.
Cheon Woojin moved with calm steps.
A fierce battle was taking place behind the mountain fortress.
It was a fight between one who was trying to escape with his life on the line and one who was toying with him like a plaything.
Surprisingly, the one trying to escape was the Green King, a master of the Transcendent Realm and the Grand Chieftain of the Green Forest.
The man playing with the Green King was young. His skin was so thin and transparent it seed see-through, and his long, flowing silver hair was tinged reddish in the sunset light.
He swung a sword with a color similar to his hair. The Green King was barely blocking it with an axe ten tis the size of the sword.
It was precarious.
If the man were to swing his sword in earnest, not in jest, the Green King would die in an instant.
"Who the hell are you!"
The Green King scread as he blocked the sword. But the silver-haired man just smiled gently and did not answer.
The sword, drawn with a smile, shallowly cut the Green King's thigh. Wounds accumulated in that manner were scattered all over his body.
Cheon Woojin observed the silver-haired man for a mont. He felt it instinctively. That this man was the one who had killed the Blood Immortal and dug up the Black Master's burial mound.
As Cheon Woojin appeared, the gazes of the silver-haired man and the Green King gathered.
"H-help ! I even gave you the Spirit Deer Pill!"
The Green King pleaded desperately.
The silver-haired man just looked at Cheon Woojin with eyes full of curiosity and then spoke.
"So it's you. The energy that's been on my mind for the past half an hour."
Cheon Woojin's eyebrow twitched. Half an hour ago was when Cheon Woojin had just left the Cheonsu Fortress. He hadn't felt the silver-haired man's energy at that ti.
In other words, his ki sense was superior to Cheon Woojin's. Superior to Cheon Woojin's ki sense, which even the Black and White Masters had marveled at.
Soon, the silver-haired man moved again. It was a movent on a different level than before, as if to show Cheon Woojin.
The greatly alard Green King raised his axe sideways. But the silver-haired man's sword smoothly cut through the iron axe as if it were tofu and lodged itself in the Green King's neck.
"Keoheok!"
The Green King, with a sword stuck in his neck, vomited blood. He grabbed the blade with both hands, trying to live.
Regardless, the silver-haired man twisted the sword's body.
Kwaduk-!
Just like that, the Green King, who was called a master of the Transcendent Realm at the pinnacle of the martial world, died in vain.
The silver-haired man didn't even shake the blood off his sword and just tossed it to the ground, then began a strange action.
He plunged both hands into the Green King's chest. He then roughly tore it open left and right. The ribs broke, and the internal organs were exposed. He looked completely at ease, as if not conscious of Cheon Woojin at all.
Cheon Woojin just watched the series of events. The images of the Blood Immortal and the Black Master were being projected onto the Green King's corpse.
Soon, the silver-haired man rummaged through the Green King's body for a long ti and then tilted his head.
"Why isn't it here?"
The silver-haired man, who was staring at the corpse with a sullen face, finally took out a small bead from the Green King's pocket. It was the spirit pill that Cheon Woojin had found in the Demonic Doctor's heart.
"What's this, this is the Demonic Doctor's."
Surprisingly, the silver-haired man recognized that the bead was from the Demonic Doctor's heart as soon as he saw it.
"This guy killed the Demonic Doctor? What do you think?"
The silver-haired man suddenly asked Cheon Woojin.
Cheon Woojin just shrugged.
At that sight, the silver-haired man's eyes narrowed.
"I see. You were the one who killed the Demonic Doctor."
"And you were the one who killed the Blood Immortal?"
Cheon Woojin asked calmly.
Ha Inseong, who had arrived late, looked at the two as if they were absurd. Two n, who looked to be about twenty, were ntioning two of the Dark Heavenly Son's nad disciples, saying, "You killed him," "No, I killed him."
Ha Inseong had a hunch that sothing strange was happening in the martial world. He thought he should discuss it with his father, the Black Plaque Star Lord, as soon as he returned.
'If I can return, that is.'
Ha Inseong drew his sword and prepared himself. It looked even blacker in contrast to the silver-haired man's pale white blade.
Ha Inseong said.
"I'm just drawing it just in case, so you, handso sir, don't mind it too much."
"Are you the Young Star Lord of the Black Plaque Star?"
"I'm honored that you recognize . If you have even a little fear of the Black Plaque Star, would you just back down?"
The silver-haired man nodded.
"I am afraid."
After all, the Black Plaque Star was a super-massive faction that divided the martial world with the Martial Alliance and the Demonic Cult.
The mont Ha Inseong felt a sense of relief.
Swish-!
The silver-haired man's figure disappeared, and the sound of sothing cutting through the air was heard.
Ha Inseong montarily lost his movent. When he focused his inner vision and painstakingly followed him.
The silver-haired man had already arrived right in front of him. His blade fell towards the crown of Ha Inseong's head to split him in two.
Kang-!
But it was futilely blocked by a dark, solid iron staff.
Cheon Woojin, who had drawn his Crescent Moon Staff at so point, had saved Ha Inseong.
A normal martial artist would have had their legs give out in relief, but Ha Inseong was, after all, the son of the Black Plaque Star Lord.
As they say, a tiger father has a tiger son; Ha Inseong extended his sword straight forward in that brief mont.
The sword, rushing like a flash of lightning, headed for the silver-haired man's stomach. Just before it reached, the man rotated his body backward and narrowly dodged it.
"You're sothing else, too. The Black Plaque Star Lord raised his child well."
The silver-haired man praised with pure admiration. However, there was no way Ha Inseong's mood would be good. He had too easily dodged a blow into which he had poured more than half of his internal energy.
Ha Inseong's gaze sank low. The rough energy unique to an Unorthodox Path martial artist began to bloom.
It would have been different if it had ended with a conversation, but they had already clashed swords. He, too, was a man of the Unorthodox Path. Once a fight began, he would not bow down, even if the opponent was a greater master than himself.
Even if it ant mutual destruction, and if that was impossible, taking at least one arm with him to the afterlife was Ha Inseong's way of the Unorthodox Path.
The mont Ha Inseong, having made that resolution, took a step.
Swish-!
Cheon Woojin's figure shot out to the side. Then, he mingled with the silver-haired man, and a series of tallic sounds erupted.
Kagagagagang-!
Dozens of exchanges ca and went in a single breath.
Ha Inseong, who had made a rather solemn resolution, stared blankly at the scene, feeling awkward.
"This isn't a fight I should be in."
If he were to get involved in a fight like that, he would have a part of him cut off in an instant. Moreover, he knew well that his intervention would be a hindrance to Cheon Woojin.
Soon, Ha Inseong sheathed his sword and sat down. Since it had co to this, he decided to watch the fight between the two masters. Fights of this level were often a great help just by watching.
Cheon Woojin and the silver-haired man paid no mind to Ha Inseong and looked only at each other.
The more Cheon Woojin exchanged blows with him, the more he felt an unknown palpitation. It wasn't just hostility; for so reason, a sense of familiarity kept creeping in.
'Is he a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son?'
The only masters who were related to the Black Master, the Blood Immortal, and the Demonic Doctor and could display this level of martial prowess were the disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son.
However, no matter how much he thought about it, he had no mory of hearing about soone with these characteristics from his master.
Even though the Crescent Moon Staff was made of thousand-year-old dark iron, the silver-white blade was blocking it all too easily. Ordinary treasured swords would have been chipped just by clashing with the Crescent Moon Staff.
Cheon Woojin slowly increased his internal energy. He had put in more energy than when he had faced the Blood Immortal, but surprisingly, the silver-haired man was fighting on par with such a Cheon Woojin.
No, rather, he even felt a slight sense of leisure.
The surroundings were turning into a ss due to the shockwaves created by the clash of the two. Just the shock alone was enough to make large trees explode and the ground to be deeply gouged.
Even the skilled martial artist Ha Inseong subtly took a few steps back and repositioned himself.
The Crescent Moon Staff repeatedly tore through the air, and the silver-haired man lightly moved his body back to dodge or block it.
The two quickly left the mountain fortress and moved into the forest.
Soon, Cheon Woojin's gaze sank low. At the sa ti, his blazing montum instantly cald down. A unique, ominous energy began to bloom darkly.
Dragging out a fight for a long ti was not Cheon Woojin's way.
In an instant, it felt as if the surrounding air was gathering around Cheon Woojin. Due to the imnse energy, even the air seed to sink to the ground.
Soon, the Crescent Moon Staff moved greatly.
Dark Sky Full Moon.
In the scenery that had suddenly beco dark, a black full moon rose around Cheon Woojin.
Kwagagagagang-!
At that overwhelming blow, dozens of huge trees located within a ten-zhang radius around Cheon Woojin exploded helplessly.
It was a blow that was close to a disaster.
He had unleashed a blow that was impossible to dodge at close range. However, Cheon Woojin's eyebrow twitched. In his hand that was firmly gripping the Crescent Moon Staff, he did not feel the unique, ominous sensation of smashing a person's head.
'How did he dodge it?'
He had thought it would be impossible to dodge, no matter how fast his movent technique was.
But before he could answer the question.
Cheon Woojin's gaze turned to the right. A fierce sword wind was rushing in, making a ss of the forest.
Cheon Woojin's eyes widened slightly. It wasn't just because the energy contained in the gust of wind was fierce. He could see clear blades within the wind that was rushing in, stirring up the surroundings.
It was like...
'Crane Wind Flash?'
It was too similar to the White Master's ultimate technique, the Crane Wind Flash.
Cheon Woojin swung his Crane Feather Fan at the sa ti as he withdrew his Crescent Moon Staff.
The two gusts of wind collided, literally destroying the forest. It was a scene that would have made even a mountain spirit weep and beat the ground.
The gusts of wind, carrying blades, canceled each other out for a long ti and then, having exhausted their power, scattered into the air.
"..."
Cheon Woojin looked at the ruined surroundings. The silver-haired man was nowhere to be found. He didn't even know when he had disappeared. He was an existence whose ki sense was unusually faint even when he was right in front of him.
"Was he even human?"
Cheon Woojin, for a change, uttered the words he always heard from soone else.
Sure enough, Ha Inseong, rummaging through the debris, approached and said.
"Are you even human?"
"Honestly, I don't know either. It's my first ti seeing such an existence."
"No, you."
"..."
Cheon Woojin smacked his lips as if embarrassed. He then completely put away his Crescent Moon Staff and Crane Feather Fan and looked around.
The scene created by the collision of the two gusts of wind was truly a sight to behold. Not only was the forest destroyed, but the corpses of over a hundred, including the Green King, were scattered on the ground as bloody fragnts.
It was a scene that would have surely made Song Yiyeon vomit if he had seen it.
However, Cheon Woojin looked at the scene with calm eyes and then said in a still calm tone.
"Let's go back."
"...Alright."
Ha Inseong clicked his tongue at Cheon Woojin's attitude of speaking as if nothing had happened.
And so, Ha Inseong stared blankly at the back of Cheon Woojin, who was walking ahead.
'That last blow.'
They were clearly similar ultimate techniques.
No, to be honest, they looked like completely identical ultimate techniques.
The only difference was whether it was unfolded with a sword or a fan.
However, Ha Inseong did not bother to ask. He knew from experience that Cheon Woojin's mouth was heavier than a thousand pounds and difficult to open easily.
* * *
When the two returned to the Sichuan branch of the Black Plaque Star.
The Divine Doctor was truly startled and asked.
"No, did you really bring back the Spirit Deer Pill?"
He had also heard the rumors about the current Green King. He was a very enterprising guy who also took his own profits like a knife.
Moreover, he also had a cunning side, so he was not a guy who would easily give up his own things.
'Even if they are the disciple of the White Flower Sword Immortal and the son of the Black Plaque Star Lord...'
How on earth did they bring this treasure from the Green King, who was already called a master of the Transcendent Realm?
Ha Inseong, who had read the Divine Doctor's gaze, said in a light tone.
"Elder, the Green King is dead."
"Wh-what!"
"Yes?"
Not only the Divine Doctor, but also Ma Yongseok next to him had their eyes widen as if they would pop out. Even the physicians who were examining the Black Tortoise Unit Commander looked at Ha Inseong with surprised eyes.
Ha Inseong's words continued.
"Ah, I didn't kill him."
At that, everyone's gaze turned to Cheon Woojin.
Ha Inseong smiled as if this situation were amusing.
"This guy didn't kill him either."
"...?"
A similar emotion arose on everyone's faces.
'So what's this bullshit?'
They were words that were hard to say to the Young Star Lord of the Black Plaque Star.
(End of Chapter)
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