Tang Gunak looked at Jo Gul with a face of disbelief.
'In the midst of this...'
A young swordsman emitting sword energy in a state of selflessness. His presence made those around him seem colorless. It was as if he alone was emitting color and shining.
The ones he was facing were the elite of the Southern Sea Sun Palace. Even elders, who could be considered the highest power of a sect, were included.
Given this, it was a sight that better suited the word "absurd" than "amazing."
'Is he surpassing another barrier in the midst of this fierce battle?'
Splitting such powerful Solar Energy would have been impossible for the previous Jo Gul.
This growth is literally beyond common sense.
'No, it's not just Jo Gul.'
Tang Gunak watched the Mount Hua Sect crashing head-on with the Southern Sea Sun Palace. They were relentlessly pushing back one of the Five Great Palaces.
At that moment, the flying dagger in Tang Gunak's hand was launched at a terrifying speed.
Swoosh!
The dagger, which flew so fast it was nearly invisible, embedded itself at the feet of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman. The face of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, who had been looking for a chance to escape while Tang Gunak's attention was diverted, twisted horribly.
"I told you, you can't leave."
"You damn bastard..."
Blood was flowing from several places on the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's body. They were eerie wounds carved by Tang Gunak's daggers.
But, in fact, Tang Gunak wasn't in good condition either. His clothes were torn in several places, and the flesh visible through the gaps was blackened.
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman's eyes filled with blood.
"You… damn dog! Are you really going to hold me back to the end?"
Even in that situation, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman kept glancing at the edge of the cliff. Although checking Tang Gunak was important, the fear that the ground might collapse at any moment was greater.
"You're willing to risk your life for those bastards? The Poison King of the world? The head of the Tang family?"
"For such…."
A bitter smile spread on Tang Gunak's lips.
"They're not even thirty years old."
"…What?"
"No, most of them aren't even twenty-nine. Such people are now fighting on equal terms with the elite of the Southern Sea Sun Palace, one of the Five Great Palaces."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Don't you want to know?"
Tang Gunak's eyes became infinitely serious.
"What they will become if they continue to grow like this, and what they will be able to do?"
"Enough with your bullshit."
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman cursed vulgarly, throwing away any semblance of dignity.
He acknowledged that Mount Hua was impressive. But so what?
The most important thing to him right now was his life, not the future of Mount Hua.
But there was no way out of the current situation.
Tang Gunak's dagger was faster than his lightness skill. If he tried to escape poorly, the dagger would fly straight into his back.
And subduing Tang Gunak was equally difficult. To properly defeat him, they would need to continue fighting for hundreds of seconds. Would the cliff hold out for that long?
"Move aside, Poison King! Are you really going to die here?"
"Well."
The dagger in Tang Gunak's hand began to spin slowly.
"It doesn't seem like it will take that long, though?"
Tang Gunak's previously calm eyes suddenly sharpened.
A distant junior had shown him a sight he would never see again. He couldn't make weak excuses.
While he couldn't lead from the front, he had to protect their backs as an elder.
"Are you really the Poison King Tang Gunak that I know?"
"...."
"Have you lost your mind, intoxicated by the fervor of the young ones? This foolish act of yours will lead to the downfall of the Tang family. What kind of crazy family head risks his life for another sect?"
Tang Gunak chuckled softly.
It was an obvious goad. It was a low-level provocation that the usual Thousand-Faced Gentleman wouldn't even voice. He decided to ignore it, thinking it showed how desperate the Thousand-Faced Gentleman was.
But Tang Gunak felt the need to say this.
"Indeed, I am a bit worried."
"…What?"
Tang Gunak's gaze turned toward the cliff. A strange light flickered in his eyes for a moment.
"Because I'm not the only one without a plan."
A short sigh escaped Tang Gunak's lips.
* * *
"Taahhh!"
Lee Songbaek unleashed a heavy white-sword energy. He seemed determined not to leave a single bit of internal energy behind.
Woooong!
The sword seemed to resonate with his will, crying out. The unleashed sword energy shot across the cliff face.
"This bastard…!"
Seeing the incoming sword energy, the members of the Sun Palace erupted with fierce killing intent. How dare such youngsters swing their swords at the Sun Palace!
Swoosh!
Soon, the burning Solar Energy clashed head-on with the incoming sword energy. Heavy and thick sword energy and the blazing internal energy intertwined in the air, causing a massive explosion.
Boom!
The force of the explosion sent Lee Songbaek flying backward helplessly. The force was not just from one person but from several. Lee Songbaek couldn't handle it alone.
But before his body completely fell from the cliff, someone grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
Lee Songbaek's eyes widened.
"S-Sahyung!"
"Stop doing stupid things!"
Jin Geumryong shouted coldly, gritting his teeth.
"Don't engage them head-on! They are…."
"Sahyung! Above us!"
Jin Geumryong, who had stopped talking, quickly looked up. Right in front of his eyes, a flood of orange energy was pouring down.
At that very moment, it seemed like a large beast was roaring—no, it was as if a legendary dragon was roaring. Along with the roar of the Blue Dragon, blue energy soared above their heads.
Orange energy clashed with the blue energy. It looked like a blue dragon diving into burning flames.
Boom!
The blue energy blocked the incoming energy aimed at Jin Geumryong.
"Hah!"
Then, white sword energy shot out from behind them, destroying all the fragments of the Solar Energy.
"Beggar's Union Leader?"
"Sect Leader?"
Ignoring their words, the fierce figure of Pungyeong Shin Gae moved past them. Soon, a roar filled with anger hit their ears.
"You foolish kids!"
Both of them couldn't believe their eyes. They never imagined that Jong Rigok would personally climb this cliff.
The cold gaze from Jong Rigok at his disciples made even Lee Songbaek and Jin Geumryong flinch.
After all, they climbed the cliff without the Sect Leader's permission. According to the rules, they could be executed for insubordination.
Jong Rigok glared at them coldly and shouted.
"Jin Geumryong! Lee Songbaek!"
"Yes, Sect Leader."
The two replied with tense faces. But unexpected words followed.
"I will deal with your disobedience later."
"…Yes?"
"First, deal with the enemies! Follow me!"
Jong Rigok shot upwards without waiting for a response. Jin Geum Ryong and Lee Songbaek momentarily looked at each other in astonishment, then quickly pushed off the cliff, following Jong Rigok to his left and right.
Once again, red energy poured down from above. Though it had not yet reached them, the intense heat felt as if it would scorch their entire bodies.
Jong Rigok's eyes shone with a brilliant blue light.
"How dare you!"
His sword sliced through the air.
Dozens of sword shadows multiplied into hundreds in an instant. The densely packed sword shadows soon formed a large wall of swords.
Lee Songbaek's eyes widened.
The oncoming energy, along with the scorching heat that seemed capable of burning everything, could not penetrate Jong Rigok's wall of swords. The orange flames broke and dissipated like waves crashing against a cliff that had risen along the coast.
'This, this is?'
The Thirty-Six Swords of the World.
According to Chung Myung, the most perfect defensive sword technique, like a great tree rooted firmly in the earth, unwavering.
The essence of the Thirty-Six Swords of the World was unfolding in Jong Rigok's hands.
Lee Songbaek's eyes trembled violently.
His sword was heavy. In fact, he had tried to become heavier.
As the sword of the Southern Edge Sect was meant to blossom, he believed his sword needed to be a firm root.
But now, Jong Rigok's sword was teaching him a lesson.
More precisely, everything the ancestors of the Southern Edge Sect had achieved over countless years, contained in Jong Rigok's sword, was being conveyed to Lee Songbaek.
About 'not being biased.'
It wasn't as heavy as Lee Songbaek's sword, nor as light as Jin Geum Ryong's sword. It had no distinct characteristics, but precisely because of that, it was not biased.
In truth, isn't this what perfection is all about?
'No, that's not all.'
Despite unleashing such a sword, Jong Rigok's body did not waver at all. The speed of his martial arts did not slow down in the slightest, even as he climbed the steep cliff with just his toes.
At that moment, Lee Songbaek cried out, pale-faced.
"Sect Leader, in front...!"
Something dark was flying towards them through the blazing heat.
It was clearly what had left Namgung Dowi in a critical state just moments before.
BANG!
The explosives detonated right in front of them without giving them any time to react. Jin Geum Ryong and Lee Songbaek instinctively grabbed the cliff and ducked.
But that was all.
They felt the tremors, but there was no wind pressure or shockwave.
When they looked up in surprise, what they saw was Jong Rigok's sturdy back and the unwavering wall of swords he had created. It was like an iron wall, without a single tremor.
'That kind of explosion...'
It was a different level of skill. Jong Rigok's martial prowess, which they thought they knew, came as a huge shock to Lee Songbaek.
At that moment, Jong Rigok shouted.
"What are you doing! Come on!"
"Yes, Sect Leader!"
Just as Lee Songbaek and Jin Geum Ryong were about to kick off again, two more explosives flew at them from above.
This time, even Jong Rigok gritted his teeth momentarily.
"Enough with the games."
Then, something appeared in front of them like a ghost and knocked the incoming explosives far away from the cliff.
BANG! BANG!
Large explosions erupted in midair like fireworks.
" Pungyeong Shin Gae!"
"Supreme Sect Leader!"
Pungyeong Shin Gae's body elongated like taffy as he unhesitatingly dealt with the incoming explosives. Jong Rigok, not to be outdone, retrieved his sword and shot forward like an arrow.
"Those bastards!"
BOOM!
Pungyeong Shin Gae's energy exploded against the chest of a Southern Sea Sun Palace disciple clinging to the cliff. He then sent out a dozen more strikes, completely severing the lifeline of his opponent. After pulling out the deeply embedded explosives from the cliff, he spat out angrily.
"You filthy bastards, where do you think you're going!"
One of the Southern Sea Sun Palace disciples, infuriated by the interference, was about to unleash his energy when a cold sword strike pierced his neck.
"Guh..."
With a grotesquely twisted face, the disciple stared at Jong Rigok.
"Don't... blame me..."
An unknown, sinister smile spread across the face of the disciple whose neck was pierced and bleeding. It was truly a malevolent aura.
Jong Rigok realized something was wrong at that very moment.
WHOOSH!
The disciple's body was suddenly engulfed in flames.
"Damn it!"
BOOM!
The body exploded, causing a massive explosion that shook the entire cliff.