Chapter 308 |
Business
Unable to dodge in time, Mu-jin unleashed the full extent of his Golden Turtle Technique to block the purple energy.
*Boom!*
As the dust settled from the massive explosion,
Mu-jin, now in a ragged state, let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew.”
His robe was torn, and his body bore several cuts, but he had fortunately avoided serious injury.
Despite the Invincible Divine Fist being shattered, it had managed to partially nullify the enemy’s technique, allowing Mu-jin to withstand the attack.
Though he looked worse for wear, he had realized something crucial.
The absurdly powerful martial arts, the similar age to himself and Ou-yang Pae—there weren’t many with such prowess at that age.
Mu-jin could easily deduce how this man had gained such internal power and how he could wield both Yin and Yang martial arts.
“Did you kill the child’s corpse in the cave?”
“A child’s corpse?”
“The body that had become a dried corpse.”
Mu-jin glared at him as he answered, and the man smirked as he recalled.
“Oh, that child? Hahaha. I don’t see why you’re so angry. That child’s death was a splendid one, contributing to my growth.”
His response confirmed Mu-jin’s suspicion.
‘He’s truly a madman.’
Mu-jin resolved to kill this man here and now.
If he let him go today, who knew where he might abduct other children to practice his Energy Absorption Technique .
Facing Mu-jin’s murderous gaze, the man, So-cheon-ju, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.
‘I always thought fishing was the dumbest hobby, but it turns out to be quite an amusing game.’
The previous evening,
He had learned of Igongja’s strategy through the Red Flame King.
The plan was to move in larger groups to loosen the Tianluo Network, thereby avoiding being picked off individually.
So-cheon-ju decided to turn this strategy on its head.
He instructed the Red Flame King to gather a few Demon Cultists from Shinchun and travel in a smaller group.
While others moved in groups of thirty or forty, they would travel in a small group, hoping to lure out the Shaolin Dragon.
In essence, he had used himself as bait to catch Mu-jin.
He had wandered aimlessly through the southern region for a whole shichen, considering it a waste of time until the Shaolin Dragon appeared, just as he had hoped.
And the Shaolin Dragon turned out to be an excellent toy, just as he had expected.
‘Fishermen call this the thrill of the catch, don’t they?’
So-cheon-ju hoped the fish he had caught would entertain him further.
“Mu-jin!”
“What’s happening?”
Unfortunately for him, interruptions arrived.
The Shaolin and Wudang disciples, who had been waiting nearby, rushed over upon hearing the explosion.
So-cheon-ju, whose excitement had peaked, frowned and ordered those who had been waiting behind him.
“Hold them off.”
As soon as So-cheon-ju’s order was given, the Demon Cultists charged at the Shaolin and Wudang disciples.
So-cheon-ju’s gaze was cold as he watched his men attack.
With only eight of them against fifteen Shaolin and Wudang experts, it was almost impossible to win.
Unless these men were top-ranking experts from Shinchun, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
However, these men were not high-ranking members. Even within Shinchun, very few knew of So-cheon-ju’s existence.
‘These puppets, who were destined for disposal anyway, have found some use.’
They were disposable pawns, unaware of their fate, charging in blindly.
After coldly observing the puppets he would soon discard, So-cheon-ju turned his gaze to Mu-jin, who was exuding killing intent.
“Make me enjoy this even more! Hahaha!”
So-cheon-ju laughed heartily and charged at Mu-jin, who responded in kind.
“Let’s see if you can still laugh with your head bashed in!”
The two closed the distance in an instant, each swinging their left fist and right sword at each other.
*Clang!*
So-cheon-ju, wrapping his right sword in an icy aura to create a barrier, blocked Mu-jin’s left fist and tried to freeze Mu-jin’s body with his left palm.
He aimed to torment Mu-jin by freezing him slowly rather than burning him with fire, given Mu-jin’s sturdy body.
The chill from So-cheon-ju’s icy energy clashed with the protective layer of Mu-jin’s Golden Turtle Technique , sending shivers down his spine.
Though Mu-jin’s body wasn’t freezing instantly thanks to the Golden Turtle Technique , the sudden cold caused goosebumps to rise on his skin.
However, Mu-jin continued to advance, undeterred by the biting cold.
This was the path of martial arts he had forged.
“Hahaha. Struggle even more!”
As So-cheon-ju mocked, he blocked Mu-jin’s attacks with his icy sword and continuously shot cold energy at Mu-jin’s body with his left palm.
In the tropical rainforest of the southern region, Mu-jin’s body was covered in white frost, and he roared in anger as he assumed the stance of the Invincible Divine Fist .
“Hahaha.”
So-cheon-ju, still laughing heartily, thrust his left palm forward again.
From his palm, the Yin and Yang energies formed a Taiji symbol, which exploded with a loud bang, sending a purple energy wave toward Mu-jin.
Once again, Mu-jin’s Invincible Divine Fist clashed with So-cheon-ju’s technique, shattering helplessly.
Yet, Mu-jin smiled with satisfaction.
Behind So-cheon-ju, Mu-gyeong was swinging the Sura Blade .
From the moment they first approached to scout, Mu-gyeong had remained hidden, observing the situation.
Knowing that Mu-gyeong had not yet revealed himself, Mu-jin was confident that Mu-gyeong wouldn’t miss this opportunity and had deliberately used the Invincible Divine Fist even though he knew it would be countered.
However, Mu-jin’s smile turned to a curse.
While using his left palm technique, So-cheon-ju created an ice barrier with his right sword to counter Mu-gyeong’s surprise attack.
Although Mu-gyeong’s blade, taken from the Killing King, easily pierced through the ice barrier, the split second it provided allowed So-cheon-ju to step back and evade the attack.
As Mu-jin’s Invincible Divine Fist clashed with the man’s martial art, a thunderous roar erupted from Mu-jin’s body.
Thanks to Mu-gyeong’s intervention, So-cheon-ju’s internal energy was disrupted, reducing its power and preventing severe damage.
However, Mu-jin, who was already in a disheveled state, now looked even worse, almost resembling a beggar.
His clothes were tattered, part of his hair was burned, and the frost from the icy attack had melted, mixing with the dirt and grime on his skin.
But the man ignored Mu-jin’s appearance and grinned as he looked at Mu-gyeong’s sword.
“Oh, so you have the Killing King’s sword.”
Recognizing the Killing King’s sword, So-cheon-ju made Mu-jin ask,
“Did you know the Killing King?”
“Hahaha, why is a dying man so curious…?”
Just as So-cheon-ju started to reply, Mu-jin interrupted with a sudden attack, aiming to break his opponent’s rhythm.
“You use such cheap tricks!”
The man mocked, but unlike before, he now appeared visibly flustered.
He hurriedly wielded his internal energy to create an ice barrier with his sword.
*Boom!*
Mu-jin shattered the barrier and continued to charge, deflecting the sword strikes aimed at him. Meanwhile, Mu-gyeong used his stealth technique to hide once more, seeking another opportunity for a surprise attack.
As Mu-jin and the man’s sword clashed again, Mu-gyeong emerged from hiding and slashed at the man’s side with the Sura Blade .
“Damn you!”
The man, realizing he was being overwhelmed, shouted in frustration, his face reddening as he leaped into the air to evade their attacks.
Twisting his body mid-air, he unleashed a flurry of icy and fiery attacks with his sword and palm.
*Boom!*
The consecutive explosions filled the air with dust, smoke, and steam. Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong, barely managing to dodge or block the attacks, clicked their tongues in frustration.
Despite the intense energy consumption that such attacks should require, the man showed no signs of fatigue.
It was impossible to gauge how much internal energy he possessed.
‘Just how many children has he consumed?’
The mere thought made Mu-jin’s teeth grind in anger.
At that moment, a massive fiery hand struck towards the man.
Mu-gung, having dealt with another Demon Cultist, joined the fight to support Mu-jin instead of helping the others.
As the man swung his sword to cut through Mu-gung’s Tathagata Palm , Mu-jin seized the opportunity and charged at him again.
“Just shoot! I don’t care if I get hit!”
“I was planning to!”
With Mu-gung’s response, another Tathagata Palm flew towards them.
Though part of the attack was likely to hit Mu-jin as well, neither he nor Mu-gung seemed to mind.
*Boom!*
The explosion from the Tathagata Palm rocked the area around Mu-jin, but he withstood it using his Golden Turtle Technique and Vajra Immovable Body Technique .
Meanwhile, the man created an ice barrier with his left palm to block the attack.
Seizing the moment, Mu-jin lowered his stance and aimed a strike at the man’s knee.
“Worthless insects!”
The man leapt into the air to dodge the attack, but Mu-gyeong appeared above him, forcing a mid-air confrontation.
Though Mu-gyeong managed to land a few strikes, he sustained shallow cuts as well.
As the man began to descend, Mu-jin charged at him once more.
If Mu-jin could just grab the man’s collar or force him into a direct physical struggle, he was confident he could win.
*Clang!*
‘This guy is a monster.’
But that one opportunity never came easily.
Despite the combined assault from Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung, the man was not easily subdued.
‘I had somewhat expected this when I defeated Ou-yang Pae in one move…’
The man’s martial prowess, internal energy, and skill level were nearly on par with the Three Swords of the World.
However, he was definitely a notch below the Three Swords.
‘Despite his immense power, he lacks real combat experience.’
After exchanging numerous blows, Mu-jin could tell.
The man’s flustered reaction when Mu-jin had interrupted him mid-sentence and his predictable use of techniques were telling signs.
He relied on overwhelming force to crush his opponents but didn’t adapt or vary his strategies.
If it were Mu-jin, he would employ more efficient tactics, such as using fire to blind the opponent instead of merely defending with immense internal energy.
Like this.
“Hah!”
As the man swung his sword, sending flames towards Mu-jin,
Mu-jin willingly rolled on the ground, a technique known as Rolling Dragon .
“How disgraceful!”
So-cheon-ju sneered at Mu-jin’s undignified appearance. While he laughed, Mu-jin quickly closed the distance and, as he stood up,
“I’ll show you what real disgrace looks like!”
*Swoosh!*
Mu-jin threw a handful of dirt he had grabbed while rolling, aiming it directly at the man’s eyes.