"I steadied my mind.

Facing a formidable enemy, I paid no heed to Geukak Soma. I had to focus solely on my own fight. I trusted Geukak Soma. But Yang Cheogi required my attention.

He was the type who could suddenly rush in for a surprise attack at any moment.

The fiend wore gloves with blades split like fingers on both hands. It was his unique weapon, the Heavenly Descending Flying Claw (Cheon Gang Bi Jo). The cold, blue gleam flowing along the blades was chilling.

“Let’s see if your swordsmanship can keep up with your mouth.”

The moment the fiend finished speaking, the fight began.

Kraak! Kak! Kraaak!

With a strange whooshing sound, the Heavenly Descending Flying Claw tore through the air. Just brushing against it would rip flesh and bone.

I moved using Shadow Step technique and launched my attack.

Cheng! Cheng! Chaeng! Cheng!

My sword clashed repeatedly with the Heavenly Descending Flying Claw. I tried to keep my distance, but he desperately sought to get close. Since the Flying Claw was shorter than my sword, he had the advantage the closer we got.

In that tense exchange of attack and defense, the moment came.

Just like when I fought Baekmanggi, all I could see was the fiend’s figure.

The surroundings quieted, and only our movements and sounds remained. It felt like time slowed down, but it never actually did; my concentration had simply sharpened.

Then, cutting through the silence came a short scream!

“Kuk!”

The instant I realized the scream came from Geukak Soma—

Flash.

Instinctively, I activated Blink Step and found myself behind the Iron Chain Master, thrusting my sword forward.

Shiiiik.

The chain aimed at a staggering Geukak Soma suddenly turned toward me.

Shiiiiiik!

Clang!

My sword bounced off the Iron Chain Master’s chains. Feeling the momentum behind the incoming attack from behind, I twisted my body to dodge.

The fiend’s Heavenly Descending Flying Claw slashed past the space where I had been moments before.

Thanks to my help, Geukak Soma avoided danger. He retaliated by launching a Blood Arrow at the fiend’s second attack.

Shiiiing.

The fiend twisted his body to evade the Blood Arrow.

Taking advantage of the moment, Geukak Soma and I swiftly leapt away from the two. Had I not intervened, Geukak Soma would have been injured. The Iron Chain Master’s martial skill was stronger than I had expected.

As the fight briefly paused, Yang Cheogi laughed aloud, confident of victory. The fiend and Iron Chain Master also appeared relaxed.

Catching my breath, I asked Yang Cheogi, “Are you the Heavenly Demon Sect leader?”

While he was arrogantly basking in his pride, I tried to glean his secret.

“I am not the Heavenly Demon Sect leader.”

“Then the Evil Song Sect leader?”

“Not the Evil Song Sect leader either.”

“Those two must be among the strongest in Evil Song Sect. How did you manage to make them show themselves?”

Yang Cheogi said nothing on that.

I quickly inferred, “Then the Heavenly Demon Sect leader must have allied with the Evil Song Sect leader, just like you were recruited.”

A glint of admiration flashed in Yang Cheogi’s eyes. His reaction confirmed my guess. Even Tongcheongak had yet to uncover this secret.

I already knew the Heavenly Demon Sect was no ordinary organization, but it was far more powerful than I’d imagined.

Before, failure simply ended the mission. Geukak Soma’s seal hadn’t been broken, so this situation never arose.

One thing was certain: judging by their current scheming, the Heavenly Demon Sect must have been operating covertly back then as well.

Before the fight resumed, I looked at Geukak Soma. He silently nodded, signaling not to worry.

The battle started anew.

The Heavenly Descending Flying Claw shredded space; the Iron Chain Master’s chains rose like living snakes, striking.

The claw grazed Geukak Soma’s arm and ribs, while the Blood Arrow struck the Iron Chain Master’s forehead.

Sword energy flew short-range; the Wind Technique was unleashed; the chains surged with fierce aura; and the Heavenly Descending Flying Claw left dozens of claw marks. Every secret technique came into play.

The fight was razor-close. Geukak Soma and I had fought together only once before, but we matched perfectly as if lifelong partners in the Art of Harmonizing.

Oddly, fighting alongside Geukak Soma made me feel at ease, and our moves synced well.

Suddenly, Geukak Soma screamed a second time.

He collapsed like he’d fallen on his buttocks, and a chain flew toward him.

I charged forward to block the chain from behind.

Thung!

I withstood it using my Defensive Steel Skill, but the impact tore at my shoulder.

Tuh-ung! Thung!

Chains struck repeatedly.

They hammered my body, but the Defensive Steel Skill deflected them. It drained tremendous internal energy.

Yang Cheogi, watching, expressed amazement.

“To wield Defensive Steel Skill at that age… truly impressive.”

But this was the situation we intended. I had just sent a silent signal to Geukak Soma to fake being struck once more.

Turning my back to them, I split my sword energy in front of me.

It was the Seventh Form of Flying Sword Technique, Flowing Sky Form.

Charak!

I split only two blades, unseen by them, right in front of my chest.

As the sword energies took shape—

Swiing! Swiing!

The two sword energies flew behind me as if alive.

Fwoahk!

One pierced the unsuspecting fiend’s shoulder; the other sliced the chains in half.

“Damn it!”

The fiend grimaced, pressing his blood point on his shoulder. Had he not reflexively twisted away, his neck might have been pierced.

The Iron Chain Master dropped the severed chains and gripped the remaining part shorter.

“Damn!”

We sighed. The critical strike hadn’t killed them. At least we pierced the fiend’s shoulder and damaged the Iron Chain Master’s weapon.

I reached out to Geukak Soma, who was sitting down; he grasped my hand and rose. His gaze blazed hotter. Both of us burned with fighting spirit.

The fiend and Iron Chain Master chose a war of attrition, counting on their greater internal energy to exhaust ours. Having a wounded shoulder and damaged weapons, they also fought cautiously.

This meant Geukak Soma’s internal energy, which relied on Wind and Tension Techniques, would deplete first.

At the moment his energy dwindled and movements slowed drastically—

Sssst.

Geukak Soma looked at me with a startled expression.

We had entered the world of Space-Time Illusion Technique.

“This is the realm of the Space-Time Illusion Technique.”

“The Space-Time Illusion Technique too!”

“There’s no time for explanation. Take this Quick Recovery Pill and restore your internal energy.”

I handed him the pill I’d received from Blood Heaven Butcher.

“You should take this, Lord Yi.”

“I still have internal energy left. No time. Please take it and recover. Even now, my internal strength is being drained.”

Geukak Soma swallowed the pill immediately and circulated his vital energy.

Voices came from outside.

“An illusion technique.”

“That brat even uses illusion techniques? Truly surprising.”

“With such a supreme illusion, the internal energy drain will be severe, and it won’t last long. In other words, a suicide move.”

Had we not absorbed the Nirvana Demoness’s internal energy in reverse, this moment wouldn’t have allowed the Space-Time Illusion Technique to unfold.

Soon, Geukak Soma recovered his internal energy swiftly from the pill, opened his eyes, and stood.

“We must finish this within a hundred moves.”

“Yes! Let’s go!”

I drew my sword, and Geukak Soma clashed blades again.

Ting!

A clear metallic sound, and the Space-Time Illusion Technique dissipated.

As we emerged, I charged madly at the Iron Chain Master.

Cheng cheng cheng cheng cheng cheng cheng!

I summoned utmost concentration.

The surroundings vanished; only the Iron Chain Master and his chains were visible.

Then the Iron Chain Master disappeared too. Only the chains moved brilliantly.

No sound except my sword clashing with the chains.

If I suffer, you will suffer. If I feel like dying, you will feel it too. I don’t believe you tried harder than I did. I believed in myself and all my efforts.

Then I experienced another wonder.

Fighting at my absolute limit, my sword’s speed began to increase. A miracle born from desperation—the desperate desire not to kill Geukak Soma.

I sensed the chains move frantically.

The fiend activated a hidden secret technique. He trapped my sword between the chains like a coiled snake wrapping the blade. At that moment, I lost the Black Horse Sword.

The Iron Chain Master’s pleased expression was visible.

Shk! Pook!

Next moment, a hidden dagger struck the Iron Chain Master’s neck.

Though he had his own secret move, I did as well. When I lost the sword and he was off-guard for an instant, I threw the dagger.

“Ugh.”

The dagger embedded in the Iron Chain Master’s neck was made of everlasting cold iron. He hadn’t used any secret arts since the fight started and couldn’t block this sudden attack.

The Iron Chain Master, like someone who can’t stand itching, scratched out the dagger.

Blood gushed # Nоvеlight # out like a waterfall as he collapsed. Wasting no internal energy to retrieve the sword, I ran and grabbed the Black Horse Sword tangled in the chains.

Without hesitation, I charged at the fiend.

Geukak Soma was fiercely concentrating, facing the fiend stronger than himself.

We fought like we did against Baekmanggi.

Together, we relentlessly pressured him. We were wary of Yang Cheogi intervening, but for some reason, he stayed out of the fight.

Pushed by the two of us, the fight quickly turned. They were strong, but not as strong as Sword Sovereign Baekmanggi. Our teamwork was even better than before.

At the moment the fiend shouted for help toward Yang Cheogi—

My sword slipped through the slightly parted blades of the Heavenly Descending Flying Claw.

Pook!

My sword pierced the fiend’s shoulder.

Piiing! Paak!

At the same time, Geukak Soma’s Blood Arrow pierced the fiend’s forehead.

The fiend’s eyes, full of resentment and anger, shot upward as he collapsed backward.

“Hah, hah,”

Geukak Soma and I gasped harshly. His internal energy was exhausted, and mine was almost gone.

“Truly ruthless bastards!”

I said to Yang Cheogi, who admired us.

“You’re the more ruthless one. You didn’t help and just watched.”

“If your internal energy is gone, it’ll be safer and easier to kill them. Why interfere?”

But I doubted that. Staying alone to fight two strong opponents was equally dangerous.

‘He didn’t stop those two masters from dying? As if he wished them dead. Why?’

Then a lightning-fast thought flashed.

“Did you promise the Heavenly Demon Sect leader to the Evil Song Sect leader?”

“!”

He wanted the Ma Jon, the Sect Leader, even the Alliance Head, so I wondered if he desired the Sect Leader.

From Yang Cheogi’s eyes and reaction, I knew my guess was correct. We had severed the Evil Song Sect leader’s henchmen well. To take over Evil Song Sect more comfortably. The evils gathered and stabbed each other in the back.

“You’re a person who dreams only impossible dreams.”

“Your mouth is your curse.”

“You’re garbage.”

“Fine, go curse me in hell as much as you want.”

Geukak Soma blocked my way.

—Lord Yi, now’s the time to show your running skills. I can hold them off a few moves.

He thought we couldn’t defeat Yang Cheogi. His internal energy was already depleted. He judged it impossible to fight him with the little energy I had left.

—Save that running skill for your rematch with Soma.

—Don’t be stubborn. Go now!

—My magic won’t break tables, but I don’t abandon friends in danger.

—!

At the word “friend,” Geukak Soma stirred.

His gaze shifted from me to Yang Cheogi. Then unexpectedly, he said,

“Please let Lord Yi go, Sabak.”

He was making a reluctant request to save me.

Yang Cheogi sneered, “Take off your mask and kneel, then I might spare you.”

I saw Geukak Soma’s conflicted back.

Ah! Even if the world calls him evil, I never could.

I quickly grabbed his arm.

“That won’t save you.”

Geukak Soma shrugged off my hand.

“I never planned to kneel. I know Sabak well.”

“Then why?”

“To buy more time. Lord Yi is clever; maybe he’d find a way.”

He smiled silently. Deep regret shone in his eyes beneath the mask. Wishing for more time. He sensed his end.

Yang Cheogi summoned a surge of internal energy. I poured energy into the Black Horse Sword. How many moves could we withstand? Could we kill him with this energy?

“Go peacefully!”

He unleashed the Magnetic Light Fist charged with full internal energy.

Just as I tried to block the sword energy—

Kwang!

The flying Magnetic Light Fist was shattered and vanished.

I didn’t block it. Something else stopped Yang Cheogi’s attack.

It was a great sword, infused with strong aura, stuck like a shield before us.

Amazingly, it was Blood Heaven Butcher’s Annihilation Great Sword.

Looking up, Blood Heaven Butcher descended on the wind and said,

“I knew this would happen.”