Seong Ryun recognized the gray-robed man’s identity at a glance.
"A Ten Demonic Warrior from White Horse Temple?" At Seong Ryun’s question, the gray-robed man, Yoo Unryong, nodded.
"And you must be Seong Ryun of the Beggars’ Sect."
"That’s right."
"How absurd." Blinking, Seong Ryun smirked mockingly. "The Ten Demonic Warrior from White Horse Temple, who fled with his tail between his legs after losing to Pyeong Seoun, now dares to challenge me?"
True to his reputation as a master from the Beggars’ Sect, he was unsettling Yoo Unryong with his sharp tongue.
"Heh heh heh." In the past, Yoo Unryong would have flown into a rage and attacked.
But having survived death, he was no longer the arrogant Ten Demonic Warrior driven solely by emotion.
"What matters is that I survived that fight." At Yoo Unryong’s words, Seong Ryun’s smirk faded.
Surviving a life-and-death battle with a Great Righteous Master would bring immense benefits to a martial artist. That meant his skills must have improved dramatically since then.
"I see. So you’re qualified to face me." Looking down at his hands, Seong Ryun spread one arm with a relaxed demeanor.
"Take the first move." Yoo Unryong, with a grave expression, gripped the White Horse Whip tightly.
Seong Ryun’s composure and superiority weren’t born of arrogance. Yoo Unryong could sense that it came from genuine skill.
‘Every one of them is a monster.’ The word "monster" brought Bu Eunseol’s face to mind.
Though his appearance was as beautiful as a peerless maiden, something incomprehensible and monstrous seemed to lurk within him.
‘Compared to that guy, this one is nothing.’ Yoo Unryong’s ultimate goal was to become the Demon King’s successor. To achieve that, he had to overcome this trial and defeat even Bu Eunseol.
Whoosh.
But at that moment, with a gust of air, five shadows descended from the sky behind Seong Ryun. Though dressed in tattered clothes, they exuded a mountain-like aura, with blue-tinted staffs at their waists.
They were the masters of the Dog-Slaying Unit.
"Step back, Junior Brother." The leader of this Dog-Slaying Unit, Woo Gang, stepped forward and spoke. "We’ll handle this one."
"It’s fine." Seong Ryun shook his head with a relaxed expression. "I can handle him myself."
"I know. But these Ten Demonic Warriors are villains who’ve inherited the brutal techniques of the Ten Demonic Sects." Woo Gang shook his head with a serious expression. "You’re destined to lead our sect in the future. If you were to get injured…"
His words were cut short.
Zip.
With a strange sound, a man with a rusty sword on his back appeared from the air. It was Bu Eunseol.
"Who are you?" At Woo Gang’s question, Bu Eunseol, without a word, threw a punch toward him.
Though it seemed lightly thrown, a storm-like force surged forth. Woo Gang and the four unit members had to hurriedly retreat.
"Who the hell are you!" Woo Gang shouted.
"No need to know," Bu Eunseol replied coldly.
Woo Gang, momentarily confused, looked back and forth between Yoo Unryong and Bu Eunseol, sneering.
"So, two of you planned to gang up on one?"
"That was your plan, wasn’t it?"
At Bu Eunseol’s retort, Woo Gang replied shamelessly, "Brother Seong is the Blue Bamboo Beggar who’ll lead the Beggars’ Sect. There’s no need for him to dirty his hands with demonic scum like you."
"A bunch of beggars discriminating against others?" Despite Bu Eunseol’s mockery, Woo Gang’s gaze remained unchanged.
"Let’s call it the privilege of status."
"Privilege, huh." Bu Eunseol slowly extended his right fist.
A faint light shimmered around it. As his powerful inner energy swirled, the flow of qi became visible to the eye.
"Let’s see if that privilege holds after death."
As murderous intent surged from Bu Eunseol, Woo Gang shouted, "Attack!" The Dog-Slaying Unit members behind him surged forward, unleashing their fist techniques.
Whoosh!
Fist winds from four directions bore down on Bu Eunseol, as if to crush his bones.
It was the supreme fist technique of the Beggars’ Sect, the Jade-Shattering Fist, said to split jade with a single strike.
Boom!
As Bu Eunseol threw a punch, a stream of fist energy began to push back the Jade-Shattering Fists pouring from all directions.
It was the exquisite fist power of the Fist Demon’s Primal Manifestation.
"What’s that?" Woo Gang’s eyes widened as he watched.
To block the Jade-Shattering Fists from four men, one would need to match their power or unleash four consecutive strikes.
But Bu Eunseol was countering all four with a single punch, as if by magic.
‘A fist technique like that exists?’
The fist energy Bu Eunseol unleashed not only freely changed direction like a tangible sword aura but also retained its power to the end.
‘Only a technique backed by immense inner power could do that.’ Realizing Bu Eunseol’s technique was not only bizarre but supported by tremendous inner power, Woo Gang stepped forward.
"Stand back. I’ll handle him!" Striding toward Bu Eunseol, he swung his fists like a windmill, unleashing his fist technique.
As the leader of the Dog-Slaying Unit, Woo Gang’s Jade-Shattering Fist was on a different level from the other members’.
Whoosh! Swish!
As fist techniques clashed, the distance between them closed. Soon, they were exchanging moves at a range where they could clearly see each other’s faces. Bu Eunseol was clearly a step above in fist technique.
But Woo Gang, a master who had trained the Jade-Shattering Fist for thirty years, compensated for the power gap with precise, masterful techniques.
‘With Senior Brother Woo and the four unit members, we won’t lose at the very least.’ Watching Bu Eunseol and Woo Gang clash from afar, Seong Ryun turned to Yoo Unryong.
"Shall we move to another spot?" At Seong Ryun’s words, Yoo Unryong gave a murderous grin.
Finally, he could face him one-on-one.
"Fine." As Seong Ryun shot into the sky, Yoo Unryong followed.
The two, transformed into streaks of light, passed through Yeongpung Pass and reached a reed field. Spotting the reed field bathed in moonlight, Seong Ryun halted his movement technique.
"This place will do." Yoo Unryong slowly walked forward, stopping about twenty paces away.
The typical attack range of a whip was within three zhang. But the White Horse Whip could extend up to six zhang or be used as short as a longsword if desired. Seong Ryun, aware of this, realized these twenty paces were Yoo Unryong’s preferred distance.
‘So this is the distance he favors.’
Ping!
With a piercing sound, the white whip, like a white snake, lunged at Seong Ryun’s forehead. Had he been an ordinary master, this single strike would have pierced his brow.
Pop!
But Seong Ryun’s reflexes were lightning-fast.
Twisting his body to dodge the White Horse Whip, he drew a circle with one hand. It was the Dragon-Subduing Eighteen Palms, one of the Beggars’ Sect’s two supreme techniques, alongside the Staff-Beating Technique.
As a powerful palm energy surged, Yoo Unryong quickly retracted the whip, spinning it like a top. The Dragon-Subduing Palm, the pinnacle of external martial arts, grew stronger when met head-on.
Yoo Unryong circled Seong Ryun, dissipating the palm energy while waiting for an opening.
"Was the White Horse Whip technique always this passive?" Seong Ryun laughed heartily, unleashing a barrage of palm energies with both hands.
Though thrown playfully, these were the Time-Riding Six Dragons, the heaviest and most intricate move of the Dragon-Subduing Eighteen Palms.
"Hah!" With a short shout, Yoo Unryong waved his hand, and the White Horse Whip suddenly split into three, clashing against the palm energy.
Swish!
With a sound like tearing wind, Yoo Unryong dispelled the palm energy in one move and retreated another zhang. Realizing Seong Ryun’s palm technique was fiercer and sharper than expected, he intended to use the whip’s range advantage.
"Retreating won’t help." Seong Ryun whistled, shaking both palms chaotically.
Dust rose thickly from all directions as invisible palm energies shot forth like arrows.
It was the Frost-Treading Ice Arrival, a masterful move of the Dragon-Subduing Palm.
"Hmph." Snorting briefly, Yoo Unryong deployed his footwork, retreating further.
He anticipated that if he countered after dispelling the palm technique, Seong Ryun would close the distance again.
"You’re quite cautious." Seong Ryun knew Yoo Unryong was hiding his true skill, probing for weaknesses in his palm technique. "Or has the White Horse Whip technique changed?"
The fearsome aspect of the White Horse Whip wasn’t just its freedom from the weapon’s limitations.
The real threat was that each move preempted the opponent’s space, leaving no room for counterattacks. Yet Yoo Unryong was doing the opposite, constantly defending and retreating.
"I see your intent, but it’s time to end this!"
Crack.
As if summoning his full inner power, the sound of bones creaking echoed from Seong Ryun’s body.
He was preparing to unleash the Dragon-Subduing Regret, the pinnacle and most powerful move of the Dragon-Subduing Eighteen Palms.
Boom!
With a sound like a flexible bamboo bending and snapping back, a massive palm energy surged toward Yoo Unryong.
Flash!
At that moment, a glint sparked in Yoo Unryong’s eyes. His body shot forward like an arrow, meeting the palm energy head-on.
Swish!
Astonishingly, as the Dragon-Subduing Regret struck his body, it slid off as if grazing him.
"What?" Seong Ryun let out a startled cry.
Through Yoo Unryong’s torn clothes, the White Horse Whip was wrapped around his body. Like hidden armor, the white whip was coiled around him.
This was the Whip-Protecting Armor technique, achievable only by mastering the White Horse Heart Resolution, the supreme technique of White Horse Temple.
Boom!
In his panic, Seong Ryun unleashed three consecutive palm strikes. The axe-sharp Dragon-Subduing Palms poured forth, but they still slid off Yoo Unryong’s body.
Having mastered the Whip-Protecting Armor, he had survived the Seven Wounds Palm of the Kongtong Sect’s Great Righteous Master, Pyeong Seoun.
Ping! Swish!
Breaking through Seong Ryun’s attack and closing the distance, hundreds of whip shadows poured from Yoo Unryong like a hail of arrows.
The white whip shadows, covering the world, engulfed Seong Ryun like an avalanche.
Boom!
As the thick dust settled, Seong Ryun was crouched low. Struck by the Whip-Protecting Armor technique, his body was torn and bruised in places.
"So that’s your strategy… quite unique."
"Don’t act so relaxed!" Seizing the momentum, Yoo Unryong spun his body in reverse.
The White Horse Whip clung to him again, unleashing hundreds of whip shadows. It was a variation of the Whip-Protecting Armor technique.
"If you’ve unleashed your whip, you’ll have to coil it again. I anticipated that move!"
A fierce light emanated from Seong Ryun’s right hand.
At the same time, he thrust his left palm, sharp as a blade, into the storm of whip shadows.
Slash!
As if parting water, the whip storm split, revealing Yoo Unryong within.
By focusing all the power of the Dragon-Subduing Palm without releasing it, his hand had hardened like the Heavenly Strength Hand technique.
"Farewell." At the same time, five palm shadows formed in his right hand.
It was the rarely known Impermanence of High and Low technique.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Struck five times in succession, Yoo Unryong was pushed back five steps. The Whip-Protecting Armor protected his body, but it couldn’t block the five streams of inner power Seong Ryun unleashed.
Drip.
Blood trickled from Yoo Unryong’s tightly clenched lips. A single strike had caused severe internal injuries, as if his heart veins were about to snap.
"Your skill is impressive, but that technique won’t defeat me." Seong Ryun’s Dragon-Subduing Palm was almost a direct counter to Yoo Unryong’s White Horse Whip technique.
Moreover, the vast gap in their martial prowess meant Seong Ryun had already seen through Yoo Unryong’s trump card.
"Ugh." As Seong Ryun approached the kneeling Yoo Unryong with a solemn expression, Yoo Unryong quickly rose, attempting to swing the White Horse Whip.
But his qi channels, shaken by Seong Ryun’s power, were suppressed as if his vital points had been sealed, rendering him immobile.
Seong Ryun, with a grave expression, extended his palm.
"It’s over!"
Without hesitation, he swung toward Yoo Unryong’s head.
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