Weiji Hyesang shook his head in disbelief.
“Challenging the sect leader? Isn’t this a ridiculous prank?”
“It’s the only way to draw out the mastermind who’s been manipulating me.” Myo Cheonwoo gave a faint smile.
“And to think that mastermind is the heir of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come out yourself, would you?” Staring intently at Weiji Hyesang, Myo Cheonwoo smiled coldly. “Isn’t that right?”
“Captain Myo, you’ve been spouting nonsense since earlier. And with no manners.” Weiji Hyesang sighed and said, “I actually think highly of the Martial Soul Command Lord. I came out because his subordinate is acting crazy.”
“You must have thought there was no one as clever as Bu Eunseol.” Myo Cheonwoo scoffed. “You must have been curious. Why a spy who’s been obediently following the Death Wraith’s orders suddenly showed up.”
“Captain Myo, are you mad?”
“No matter what you say, it’s useless. You saw the letter and came to meet me alone.” With a serious expression, Myo Cheonwoo said, “Weiji Hyesang, I’m certain you’re the one controlling the Death Wraith.”
“We’re not getting through to each other. Just go back.” Weiji Hyesang stroked his chin with a smile. “I could have my men kill you, but I’m letting you off.”
“Then call the sect leader. I’ll challenge him.” Myo Cheonwoo smirked. “Surely Weiji Mu-a, one of the Three Demons, isn’t too scared to face a second-class Majeon captain.”
“You’re determined to play the lunatic. You think the sect leader would entertain you?”
Myo Cheonwoo stood silently, unmoving.
Seeing his grim and solemn expression, Weiji Hyesang sighed as if he understood everything.
“Why do you want to fight me?”
“Because you’re the mastermind.”
“The mastermind?”
Myo Cheonwoo said coldly, “The leader of the forces that have been using me like a dog.”
“What forces are you talking about?”
“Enough with the games.” A murderous aura rose from Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes like a haze. “You made me report Bu Eunseol’s movements, constantly putting him in danger.”
“I don’t know why you think that.” Weiji Hyesang tilted his head and said, “I really like the Martial Soul Command Lord.”
Taking a deep breath, Myo Cheonwoo slowly gathered his energy.
“There’s only one way to silence me.”
His eyes showed no hesitation, as if he had already resolved to die.
He had suspected it since Weiji Hyesang withdrew from the Majeon heir candidacy.
That he was behind the Death Wraith.
Yet he still didn’t know why they demanded Bu Eunseol’s movements.
But as the Three Realms were exposed by Bu Eunseol, and it became clear that those who awakened Tang Gon through the Three Poisons Sect were also part of the Three Realms…
As he realized the Infinite Realm and Clear River Realm were clashing with their own agendas, there was no longer a need to know the reason.
“Let’s end this long, wretched fate.” Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes gleamed as he said, “Draw your sword.”
“You think I’ll fight you?” Despite his grim demeanor, Weiji Hyesang smirked and crossed his arms.
“You say I used you as a spy? Got any proof?”
“…”
“Even if I did, is that a crime? Every demonic sect keeps informants to monitor Majeon’s movements.”
Myo Cheonwoo was speechless.
Weiji Hyesang was the heir of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, the strongest demonic sect. He had expected him to at least admit to controlling the Death Wraith, even if not the Three Realms.
But to think he’d deny everything.
“I don’t know what madness has possessed you to pick a fight with our sect.” Weiji Hyesang sneered. “The Martial Soul Command Lord is meticulous, but it seems he doesn’t manage his subordinates well.”
“Weiji Hyesang, are you going to insult me to the end!”
“Captain Myo.” Weiji Hyesang looked at him with pity. “Do you think the world revolves around your will? That you can just quit being a spy or expose everything and it’ll all be settled?”
“…”
“You think you can stop being a spy just because you want to? Reveal everything because you feel like it? Do you think the world’s affairs resolve so easily?”
Clicking his tongue, he shook his head.
“Myo Cheonwoo, you may pride yourself as a man, but to me, you’re just a childish fool who thinks everything will go your way.”
“Shut up!”
Further conversation was pointless.
Enraged, Myo Cheonwoo unleashed a powerful palm strike.
Whoosh.
At that moment, five warriors appeared before Weiji Hyesang as if rising from the ground.
Boom!
As they thrust their swords forward, an invisible wall of immense force formed.
Simultaneously, Myo Cheonwoo’s palm strike dissipated like melting snow, and he slid back five steps.
The Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
The foremost demonic sect, producing countless Sword Demons, the pinnacle of demonic swordsmanship.
It was the strongest single sect with unmatched power and forces.
Every warrior here possessed exceptional martial prowess, including the guards protecting Weiji Hyesang.
“Like a pesky fly, pushed back with a single gesture.” Weiji Hyesang smirked and said, “First, I’ll detain you and hold the Martial Soul Command Lord accountable for raising such a subordinate.”
“Weiji Hyesang!”
Boom!
At that moment, a brilliant light flashed from Myo Cheonwoo’s body, pushing back the five warriors exerting pressure.
It wasn’t a palm technique or any martial art but a powerful shockwave.
“Oh?” Weiji Hyesang rounded his lips.
“Looks like you have a trump card.”
“Weiji Hyesang.” Myo Cheonwoo said coldly, “I challenge you.”
“What?” Weiji Hyesang chuckled. “This is right in front of our sect. With a snap of my fingers, masters who could kill you would pour out. Why bother…”
“If you want to refuse, go ahead.”
Myo Cheonwoo gritted his teeth and said, “I’ll spread the word that even a Death Shadow Pavilion captain’s challenge scared you into hiding like a rat. And that you tried to have your men detain me out of fear.”
“…”
“Maybe you’ll lock me up, claiming it’s another trial for Bu Eunseol? But you won’t get away with it anymore. I’ll expose everything.”
Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes gleamed as he said, “Want to kill me? Then fight me fairly. Are you scared?”
“Sigh.”
Weiji Hyesang said with a deflated expression, “Myo Cheonwoo, you’re not only whining like a child but also incredibly annoying.”
He nodded to the five guards protecting him.
“No choice. Step aside for a moment.”
The five warriors bowed and vanished instantly with ghostly qinggong.
“There, satisfied?” Weiji Hyesang yawned and said lazily, “Go ahead and show off your fancy martial arts. I’m bored to death.”
“Fine.” Myo Cheonwoo gathered his energy again.
A haze-like aura rose, followed by a lightning-like shockwave.
Even after joining Majeon, he never neglected his martial training for a single day.
After deeply mastering the mysterious martial art he acquired in the South Sea, his inner energy had surged dramatically, surpassing two hundred years’ worth.
“Oh?” Weiji Hyesang let out an impressed exclamation. “Quite the inner energy. Did you consume some elixir in the Extinction Palace?”
Myo Cheonwoo didn’t respond, moving his hands rapidly.
Butterfly-like palm shadows soared into the air, soon enveloping Weiji Hyesang’s surroundings.
It was the Annihilation Heaven-Turning Palm, a unique palm technique of the Extinction Palace.
“Hmm.” Weiji Hyesang extended his index and middle fingers, slashing horizontally.
Dozens of palm shadows vanished like mist in the air.
As if expecting this, Myo Cheonwoo closed the distance without panic.
Clang! Clang clang clang!
As Weiji Hyesang’s finger sword clashed with Myo Cheonwoo’s intangible palm force, a metallic sound rang out.
Weiji Hyesang’s finger sword altered the nature of Myo Cheonwoo’s palm force.
It was similar to the principle of Half-Above Half-Below, which Bu Eunseol had learned from the Sword Venerable’s Shifting Heaven’s Force.
“Hmph.” But Myo Cheonwoo, unfazed, swung his palm technique again.
The Extinction Palace’s palm techniques were unique in the martial world, with a range and power far beyond ordinary palm arts.
Whoosh!
Each time he unleashed a palm technique, a mist-like aura spread out.
Rocks touched by this mist were pierced with hundreds of holes.
He was unleashing the Annihilation Blood Mist Palm, the most powerful technique of the Extinction Palace, in rapid succession.
Swish.
The palm force, which had covered the air like butterflies, turned into a white mist, enveloping Weiji Hyesang’s body.
“Is that all?” Weiji Hyesang casually used his finger sword again, extending his fingers.
The Annihilation Blood Mist Palm, spreading like mist, evaporated instantly. It wasn’t the Hwa Wu Sword Sect’s swordsmanship. He had simply used immense inner energy to nullify the palm force in one go.
“Hah!” As if waiting for this, Myo Cheonwoo leaped into the air, rapidly extending both hands.
It was the Annihilation Wall-Breaking Palm, the supreme technique of the Extinction Palace, specifically the Boundless Great Sect, an exquisite move.
Weiji Hyesang’s eyes sparkled.
Ordinary palm technique masters would never leap into the air during combat. Palm technique masters, using their hands as weapons, destroy the sharpness of weapons with intricacy, suppressing enemies with relentless techniques.
But Myo Cheonwoo, as if a blind man wielding palm techniques in midair, unleashed axe-like sharp palm forces chaotically.
“Asking to be killed in one go? Fine.”
Shing.
As Myo Cheonwoo charged, enveloped in the hundreds of palm forces of the Boundless Great Sect, Weiji Hyesang finally drew his sword. Blocking with finger swordsmanship would lead to prolonged exchanges.
He intended to unleash a sword technique to end Myo Cheonwoo’s life in one stroke.
Slash!
As he lightly swung his sword, the Boundless Great Sect’s palm forces, enveloping Myo Cheonwoo like mist, vanished, revealing his face.
Flash!
At the same moment, a thin, sharp beam shot toward Myo Cheonwoo’s forehead.
Using a variation of the Hwa Wu Sword’s third technique, Heaven and Earth’s Radiance, he aimed to pierce Myo Cheonwoo’s forehead.
Slice.
In that instant, Myo Cheonwoo’s forehead split in two. Or rather, it should have.
But the sword aura sliced through the air and soared skyward.
It turned out to be an illusion created by the aura enveloping Myo Cheonwoo’s body.
“Die.” Before anyone realized, Myo Cheonwoo stood before Weiji Hyesang, arms spread as if dividing the heavens and earth.
The Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura.
He had finally unleashed the supreme technique of the Fighting Emperor on Weiji Hyesang’s body.
Boom!
From his twin palms, which seemed to split the heavens and earth, a tremendous fighting spirit surged like a tidal wave, capable of destroying the world.
It was as if Weiji Hyesang’s body had completely vanished before it.
‘It worked.’ Myo Cheonwoo, having poured all his strength into the Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura, smiled with satisfaction. ‘Even the heir of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect is finished with this.’
The Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura had the property of penetrating everything, severing the vital energy of all living beings. No matter how great Weiji Hyesang’s swordsmanship or inner energy, once exposed to the Killing Aura, there was no escaping fate.
Hiss.
As the red aura dissipated, the pavilion where Weiji Hyesang stood was completely gone.
And his figure was nowhere to be seen.
“Weiji Hyesang, you were too arrogant.” Looking at the pavilion that had vanished as if evaporated, Myo Cheonwoo straightened his shoulders.
All the captains of Death Shadow Pavilion, including him, had relentlessly trained on the edge of life and death.
If you’re not strong, you die.
That was Bu Eunseol’s philosophy and command as the leader of Death Shadow Pavilion.
But Weiji Hyesang, the heir of the great Hwa Wu Sword Sect, likely overestimated his abilities and never imagined losing to Myo Cheonwoo.
“Your arrogance led to your death in a single strike.” Taking a deep breath, Myo Cheonwoo looked at the distant sky. “Well, as the heir of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, you probably never felt the need to train to the brink of life and death.”
As Myo Cheonwoo turned to leave after saying this,
“You talk too much.”
Weiji Hyesang’s clear voice rang in his ears.
In that instant, Myo Cheonwoo felt every pore in his body open and his hair stand on end.
Whoosh!
Without time to respond, he swiftly spun and unleashed a palm strike backward.
But Weiji Hyesang was already standing right in front of him.
“Thought you could act cocky with the Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura?” Weiji Hyesang smirked and shook his head. “Well, that martial art is indeed impressive, destroying everything it touches.”
Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes widened at his words.
To think Weiji Hyesang knew of the Fighting Emperor’s martial art.
“Hahaha! That expression is hilarious!” Weiji Hyesang pointed at Myo Cheonwoo’s shocked face. “You didn’t actually think you mastered the real Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura, did you?”
“What… do you mean?”
“All supreme martial arts come with a core principle. The Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura is no exception.” Weiji Hyesang smiled calmly and extended one hand.
“Like this.”
Slash!
In that moment, an invisible, sharp force pierced Myo Cheonwoo’s shoulder.
“Urgh.” With just a graze, his flesh melted, and the muscles and tendons around his shoulder dissolved as if severed.
It was the true Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura.
“How do you—” As Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes widened, Weiji Hyesang chuckled softly. “Actually… it’s not the Fighting Emperor’s martial art.”
“What?”
“You’re a spy, right? So you must have reported to the places you were spying for, not just the Martial Soul Command Lord. Then someone… might have set up an interesting treasure hunt, no?”
Memories flashed through Myo Cheonwoo’s mind.
To practice palm techniques using the South Sea’s waves, he had requested leave with his comrades. And he had reported his movements to the Death Wraith. So… did Weiji Hyesang deliberately hide a fake Fighting Emperor’s martial art?
Weiji Hyesang, his eyes crescent-shaped, burst into laughter.
“Just saying it’s possible. Hahaha.”
Discovering the Fighting Emperor’s legacy.
In the end, Weiji Hyesang had anticipated his movements and secretly planted a fake Fighting Emperor’s martial art where he would find it.
“So that’s how it was.” Myo Cheonwoo looked as if he’d seen a ghost.
Only now did he realize he, too, was Weiji Hyesang’s puppet.
Weiji Hyesang had the intellect, martial prowess, and power to manipulate someone like Bu Eunseol.
Planting the fake Fighting Emperor’s martial art was also a calculated move, anticipating that Myo Cheonwoo would eventually bare his fangs and use it as his trump card.
“Huh? You think I’m the one who planted that fake martial art?” Weiji Hyesang shrugged with a playful smile. “Why would I do that? I have nothing to do with the forces you’re talking about.”
“You were scared. Scared that I might actually defeat you!” At Myo Cheonwoo’s shout, Weiji Hyesang grinned.
“No way. Why would I fear anyone?”
Slash!
As Weiji Hyesang extended his sword, the distant lake seemed to split in two for a moment.
Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes widened.
To split a lake with a single stroke?
Had Weiji Hyesang reached the realm of Limitless, creating a “phenomenon”?
Or, as a descendant of the Eight Emperors and Three Saints, had he mastered a martial art beyond the limits of conventional techniques?
Or perhaps, like Hyeok Ryeon-eung, had he learned a mind-control technique that could instantly subdue an enemy’s spirit?
“Now, it’s time for your punishment.” Weiji Hyesang bared his white teeth.
He snapped his fingers.
Slash!
A sound like tearing fabric rang out, and a strange heat surged in Myo Cheonwoo’s left leg.
Drip.
At the same time, his left leg went limp, as if boneless.
It was eerily similar to the fake Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura he had used.
“They say the Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura could pierce any living being’s body, shredding its insides.”
Slash!
As Weiji Hyesang extended his fingers again, Myo Cheonwoo’s right arm began to dangle.
“And the fighting spirit that penetrates the body can’t be removed through acupuncture or medicine. Fascinating, isn’t it?”
Slash! Slash!
Myo Cheonwoo’s body was soon in tatters.
Each time the sharp force pierced him, his meridians were severed, and his inner energy dissipated.
In less than half a moment, he had become a bloodied heap, kneeling.
The most excruciating pain in the world is the burning agony of fire.
And the force Weiji Hyesang unleashed felt like burning, delivering the maximum pain the nerves could endure.
“Our sect’s swordsmanship is quite similar. When struck by our techniques, vital energy is severed instantly.”
Splatter.
Myo Cheonwoo, a bloodied mess, hung his head. Despite the horrific pain coursing through his body, he didn’t grimace or scream.
He was too foolish for that.
He had made too many mistakes.
He betrayed a friend to repay a debt.
He betrayed the trust of everyone who believed in him.
And he underestimated his enemy’s capabilities. If they could manipulate someone like Bu Eunseol, they could predict his every move.
He should have been more cautious.
“Impressive.” Weiji Hyesang gave a thumbs-up to Myo Cheonwoo, who stood silently despite the pain. “Your endurance alone makes you worthy of being the Martial Soul Command Lord’s friend.”
“I have no such worth.” Myo Cheonwoo slowly raised his head, his expression desolate. “I knew I could never defeat you.”
Looking at the sky with clouded eyes, he murmured softly, “I came here to atone with my death.”
“Hohoho. I’ve always thought you had a way with words. Charging at me like you’d kill me… and now saying you meant to die all along?” Weiji Hyesang sighed with pity. “A dog that bites once will bite again. Since you formally challenged me, I have no words to say.”
Weiji Hyesang raised his sword.
Though not exceptional in martial arts, Myo Cheonwoo’s endurance and courage were remarkable, and he intended to honor that with a formidable sword technique.
Clink.
Weiji Hyesang looked down at the kneeling Myo Cheonwoo, sword raised.
“Now.” But at that moment, a brilliant light shone from Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes.
‘You think there’s no one to guard against but Bu Eunseol.’
In truth, he had suspected the Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura might be fake.
Because Bu Eunseol had taught both him and Yoo Unryong secret techniques to enhance their martial arts. Supreme martial arts always come with a core principle. When he found the Fighting Emperor’s legacy without one, he suspected it might be a trap.
Yet he hadn’t launched a proper attack on Weiji Hyesang until now.
For one reason.
To seize the perfect opportunity for a critical strike.
That opportunity was…
When Weiji Hyesang let his guard down, ready to deliver death.
When he was completely defenseless.
Only then could he seize the chance to take Weiji Hyesang down with him.
‘Yeong Munho, I’ll atone for your death in hell.’
Gathering the last of his inner energy, Myo Cheonwoo unleashed his final secret technique toward Weiji Hyesang.
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