In the air, veiled in a fine sand that looked more like dust than sand, was pierced, and red plum blossoms bloomed.
For a moment, the blossoming plum blossoms were like red clouds.
Those red clouds swiftly devoured the countless fine sand particles and numerous flying needles that were aiming at Chung Myung from the front.
"Tsk!"
A look of ecstasy filled Tang Gunak's eyes.
"Monstrous!"
Soul-Severing Sand was an extremely fine dust. Therefore, once it was released, the only way to avoid the poison was to leave the spot.
The airborne Soul-Severing Sand permeated the lungs with even a slight inhalation, and even if it touched the skin, it injected the poison into the body.
Regardless of whether the person hit by Soul-Severing Sand could withstand its toxicity, there was virtually no way to avoid Soul-Severing Sand itself. Or, there wasn't.
However, right now, Chung Myung was expelling all the sand not with his strength but with his sword. This meant that his sword energy, much like the blooming plum blossoms, was perfectly deployed without the slightest gap.
Aside from its outward beauty, it was a sword that couldn't be explained any other way than terrifying.
Kwagagagak!
The needles caught in that splendid sword energy were not just deflected; they were completely crushed. This meant that the sword's speed and power far exceeded what the needles could endure.
He had seen this sword several times in the past. But Tang Gunak could fully comprehend it with just one move. The similarity was only superficial. The strength, speed, and even the sophistication within this sword surpassed any previous experiences.
Kak!
As the last needle shattered, Chung Myung burst out of the plum blossom forest and charged at him. There was a twisted smile on the corner of his lips.
Kwaaaa!.
Chilling.
The moment Tang Gunak saw Chung Myung charging at him, he felt his entire body go ice-cold, as if he had entered a freezing cave, even though he had experienced it before. Yet, Chung Myung's presence always refused to become familiar to him. Muscles all over his body tensed, and his heart began to beat wildly.
Paaat!
A throwing knife filled with concentrated energy swirled and flew towards Chung Myung, attacking him directly. It was an attack to suppress and counter his momentum, but Tang Gunak knew better.
This demon with the sword would never move as opponents wished. When you strike, he would undoubtedly move in the direction Tang Gunak hated the most.
Sure enough, Chung Myung charged in even faster, thrusting his sword directly into the path of the flying knife.
In a swift and graceful movement, the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword soared through the air like a dragon, and he shattered the incoming knife in an instant.
Kwaaaaaaa!
A deafening crash resounded as the energies clashed violently.
'That's it!'
Tang Gunak extended his energy to collect the fallen poison-imbued darts from the ground. Without hesitation, as if he had no need to examine them further, he promptly launched three more of these darts.
The poisoned darts created three spirals as they spun through the air. Coated generously on both the blade and the hilt, these deadly darts scattered in all directions as they whirled around.
Paaaaa!
As the storm of energy raged, the moment Chung Myung's figure was revealed, the three darts were already right in front of him.
At that moment, Tang Gunak saw it—the sight of Chung Myung's sword trembling as it blossomed into a red plum blossom.
'....'
His eyes suddenly widened. In the blink of an eye, the alternating exchanges in their martial techniques felt like they were transcending time itself. Chung Myung's sword moved in such an extreme swiftness that it seemed to exist in a different dimension.
The sword appeared to move at an extraordinarily slow pace, but in reality, it was far from being sluggish. The time surrounding him was slower than the sword, making it seem slower in comparison.
With a resounding clash, Tang Gunak's flying knife pierced through the blooming plum blossoms surrounding Chung Myung. It seemed as if he aimed to demonstrate that trying to block the knife with delicate flower petals was a futile endeavor.
However, before the flying knife could fully shine with its intimidating might, the newly bloomed plum blossoms flew toward the knife. These delicate petals drifted towards the sword with a soft and gentle approach, enfolding it smoothly.
'What?'
Tang Gunak's eyes opened wide in astonishment.
Whoosh!
The massive power-infused flying knife continued to surge forward with undiminished strength, but its direction had already diverged significantly from Tang Gunak's original intention.
As if it had planned this from the start, the three spirals swerved greatly, brushing past Chung Myung's body.
Cheongmyeong, who was still rushing like a beam of light, was attacked by the Soul-Severing Sand, which was also followed by flying knives this time.
At that moment, Chung Myung's sword drew a circle in the air.
Despite being drawn by a sword, the path it left behind was distinctly soft. In the next instant, the sword horizontally swung around, just like a perfect arc.
A bright flash appeared before Tang Gunak's eyes.
The dispersed poison-laden darts were pushed aside, as if chasing the path left by the drawn sword, to the sides, like a dreamy formation of fallen cherry blossoms. No matter how much inner power was infused, dust remained just dust. The tip of the sword pushed the air, and the emptied space began to suck in the darts like a fantasy.
With a loud crash, Tang Gunak swiftly pushed off the ground, propelling himself backward.
"I thought you'd become a dragon."
...Isn't this simply a monster?
If Chung Myung had blocked his attack by summoning such a formidable torrent of plum blossoms with his sword, Tang Gunak wouldn't have been surprised. Even if he expelled enough inner power to pulverize the darts into dust, he would have taken it as a matter of course.
But this was a far cry from the "growth" Tang Gunak had anticipated.
Nothing could contain it.
There was no way for Tang Gunak to know just how much power Chung Myung was putting into each strike. However, from Tang Gunak's perspective at this moment, it felt like his attacks, launched with a desperate resolve, were being rendered utterly powerless by Chung Myung's sword like a joke.
Tang Gunak's hands quickly retreated into his sleeve. Thinking must be brief and action must be fast.
Hwaaaa!
From Tang Gunak's fingertips, poison-laden darts and cowhair needles were scattered. The poison sprayed from the poison bottle instantly vaporized the moment it came into contact with the air, shrouding the area in a dark poisonous smoke.
'Not enough!'
Only after he had released all of his hidden weapons, including the Name-Stealing Dart hidden deep in his sleeves, did Tang Gunak's hand finally reach the knife.
He didn't think that these poisons and hidden weapons could stop Chung Myung's charge. While he couldn't admit it, even with the flying knives he had unleashed with all his might were still helpless against him.
They would only buy a moment of time.
But if they grant one fleeting moment, even just the time it takes to blink an eye, it would be enough!
But at that moment, all Tang Gunak saw was a single line.
Like a vivid red line cutting through the darkness amidst the waves of poison and hidden weapons that had overturned the front as if it were a black abyss.
As if in a place filled with light, darkness could not exist in its entirety, the waves of his hidden weapons gradually lost their presence in front of that bright red line.
Soon, just like the parting of a sea, a clear path opened up between the waves of hidden weapons.
Even the great Tang Gunak, for that moment, was captivated, momentarily forgetting that he was in the midst of a fierce battle. The culmination of the swordsmanship.
As all eyes were drawn to the swift and brilliant red line, at the end of it, the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword revealed itself.
All the techniques he had tried to use to grab even a brief moment of Chung Myung's ankle lost their meaning in the presence of a single sword. It was beyond merely eerie or sinister.
Even Tang Gunak, who was simply practicing martial arts, felt this immense pressure. Imagine the feelings of those who stood in front of Chung Myung on the battlefield, where their lives hung in the balance.
"It can't be stopped... "
It didn't seem like any measures could stop that charge.
"Then..."
In that moment, determination filled Tang Gunak's eyes.
Pa-a-a-ang!
Without even a chance to think, Tang Gunak unleashed four more flying knives. He put so much force into pushing the tips of the handles that his fingertips almost crumpled.
Kwaaaaaaaah!
The flying knives launched into the air, coiling and gathering energy. Following the two flying knives that soared ahead like an arrow, two swirling flying knives came right behind.
"Taaah!"
A mighty shout burst from Tang Gunak's mouth, and four more flying swords were unleashed from his fingertips.
The Five Thunder Chain (五雷連環).
Originally, the Five Thunder Chain should have unfolded with five flying swords, but now it was extended with only four. It was an unavoidable choice due to the unreturned flying knife.
And then...
Wooooooom!
The last remaining flying knife.
The Chunbihon, resting on Tang Gunak's palm, leaped as if it were a lively fish. Tang Gunak infused it with his full strength, pushing it beyond its limits, as if he were breathing life into it. The flying knife seemed to move on its own, as though it were no longer just a weapon but had a life of its own.
Wooooooong!
'More!'
The face of Tang Gunak, who drew upon immense inner strength, turned pale. However, this was not enough. With this level of power, he couldn't stop Chung Myung. It was insufficient.
"More!"
The thought burst from his mouth. The vibrating swords gradually subsided. The sword floating three feet above his palm trembled as it hummed.
'More!'
Kaang! Kaang!
At that moment, the first two thrown daggers, which had initially surged like beams of light, were repelled with surprising feebleness. Following them, the two daggers that had swirled through the air were also insufficient to push back Chung Myung's vigorously wielded sword. The four daggers that followed were likely to be repelled just as ineffectively.
Wooooooong!
However, it didn't matter. Because all those attacks existed solely for this one strike.
Wooooooong!
Drip.
A drop of crimson blood seeped through Tang Gunak's lips and trickled down his chin. This was a strike he hadn't even completed yet. However, precisely because of that, it was even more perilous.
Tang Gunak's hand, after confirming that even the tremors of the daggers had gradually ceased, trembled for a moment.
There was one suspicion in his heart.
"Can he endure this?"
Could Chung Myung truly bear this strike?
Is he, perhaps, doing something he shouldn't be doing right now?
"I...."
Tang Gunak shifted his gaze away from the daggers and looked ahead.
In that moment, he saw Chung Myung's eyes fiercely charging toward him.
"...."
Tang Gunak's blood-smeared lips traced a faint smile.
"Of course...."
The hesitation disappeared from his eyes like lifting fog.
"I believe!"
The motion of the dagger on Tang Gunak's hand completely ceased.
"Receive it."
He slowly extended his hand forward. It was a delicate touch, as if caressing a small child. Then, the dagger hovering over his hand gently rose into the air.