Book 13 Chapter 20

"Converge Attack! Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth!"

"I'll take care of the perpetrators."

Hyoryong's eyes blazed with fury. My brother's enemies! He couldn't let anyone else have them.

'This fight is my fight! A fight I must take responsibility for!'

Hyoryong believed that he alone could bring this fight to its conclusion.

"You can't hog both of them to yourself. That's too greedy!"

He turned to see Yeomdo drawing his Hongyeom.

*Rooooar!*

Simply by standing there, he exuded intense heat. Flames flickered from the red blade of Hongyeom.

Red! Yeomdo's eyes, gazing at the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth, were now a fiery crimson, like rubies engulfed in flame. He looked as ferocious as a demon from hell.

"You're not the only one with debts to collect! I still have some collecting to do myself!"

His voice, as he spoke, sounded like the growl of a predator eyeing its prey.

"I'll help you!"

Hyoryong had just gained one of his most formidable allies.

Hyoryong and Yeomdo walked side-by-side towards the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth. At the signal from the Twin Killers, their subordinates blocking the path parted to the left and right.

Finally, the two men stood face-to-face with the Twin Killers.

"Fatty, you're still alive? Isn't it about time you were in a grave?"

Upon hearing Yeomdo's words, the blood vessels on Jisal's plump face bulged. Venomous gazes, buried within his flesh, erupted.

"Shut your mouth, you dog! I'm grateful you've saved me the trouble of finding you. I'll use that to ensure your death is the most agonizing!"

Jisal gritted his teeth. Just as Yeomdo was about to retort, a voice flew from behind. It was Biryu-yeon.

"A thankless, fat old man."

"Gratitude? What gratitude are you talking about?"

Jisal roared. Biryu-yeon then said with an incredulous expression,

"How can you be so shameless! With one arm gone, you've lost weight, enough that a pig would call you 'hyung.' Losing weight naturally makes you lighter and healthier. And you still say it's not gratitude?"

Biryu-yeon's words were sharp. Moreover, each one pierced Jisal's nerves.

"You… you… you rascal!"

Jisal's face, flushed red as blood rushed to his head, was about to burst with rage. Yeomdo burst into triumphant laughter.

"Hahahaha! That's right! You've helped me lose weight, and done a lot of good deeds without me even knowing! I deserve a reward. Hahaha!"

As he laughed, the entire rescue party joined in. Jisal, now a laughingstock in front of countless people, had bloodshot eyes. His face had turned a fiery red, like a volcano about to erupt. He had never suffered such humiliation.

"Broom-headed brat! Why aren't you coming down here? Are you scared?"

Cheonsal, who had not taken his eyes off Biryu-yeon since arriving, spoke in a low but eerie voice. His eyes were filled with resentment and venom. He was the cause of the nightmares that plagued him every night. How could he not feel his hatred boil?

But!

Biryu-yeon blew away Cheonsal's provocation with a scoff.

"Everything has its order and steps. Do you need a cleaver to kill a chicken? There's no need for me to step in."

"What an incredibly arrogant brat!"

Cheonsal spat out the words.

"You flatter me! Looking at us now, it's a perfect two-on-two. I don't want to butt in and be called a coward. Besides, I worry if two old men like yourselves can even beat these two. Your backs must ache, so don't overexert yourselves."

Biryu-yeon admired his own magnanimity. He always thought of himself as too soft. How could he survive this harsh reality if he was so weak! Reflection, reflection!

Just as Biryu-yeon was delving into his inner self and engaging in introspection.

*Whizzzzzz!*

A sword, emitting an ominous light, spun like a top towards his neck. In that instant, Biryu-yeon's gaze confirmed Cheonsal's left hand. One of the possessed swords he had heard just moments before was now empty.

*Screeeeeech!*

A bizarre, ghostly cry erupted from the spinning sword. It was Hoeryeong Chamhon, a supreme technique from Cheonsal's unique sword art, Chohongwiryeong Geombeop. Unlike Cheonsal's sword art, which belonged to the category of heavy swords, it exerted little pressure but was fast.

Just as the sword, emitting a ghostly cry and radiating murderous intent, was about to sever Biryu-yeon's neck.

*Flash!*

A bizarre sound erupted.

"Huh?"

"What?"

People's eyes widened. They wanted to confirm what had just happened. But their minds were foggy, and the image was not clear. However, one thing was certain: something absurd had occurred.

Moreover, Cheonsal's possessed sword, which had been flying towards Biryu-yeon just moments ago, had vanished without a trace. Where did it go?

"This… is impossible!"

Cheonsal's eyes, wide as saucers, refused to close. He tried to recall Biryu-yeon's actions. The situation began to replay slowly in his mind.

First, there was something boiling deep within his chest. It was unbearable anger and hatred. Yeomdo and the other brat were not even in his sight. All he could see was the source of his nightmares.

He threw the possessed sword, Gwihok. It spun and flew. A perfect move! At that moment, the culprit's right hand slowly rose. Something dark and dull glowed on his wrist.

Then, he brought it down with all his might. It was as if he was swatting a fly. And with that single, forceful swing, his perfect move was countered in an absurdly simple manner. It was no wonder he felt like pinching his cheeks or stabbing his thigh with a needle.

Then where had his beloved sword, Gwihok, which had vanished like magic, gone?

The answer was provided not by someone else, but by Biryu-yeon.

"Oh? I was wondering where it went, but it was here…"

He spoke as if he had found a lost toy. Biryu-yeon's gaze was directed at his feet. All eyes of the rescue party shifted to that spot. The floor was made of solid stone, and in the center, a sword was deeply embedded in the stone floor, with only the hilt visible. It was too deliberate to be a coincidence. Yet, to think it was intentional raised the question of 'how?' So, people decided not to think too deeply about it.

"Well, I'll be… when did it get stuck here?"

*Whoosh!*

Biryu-yeon bent down, grabbed the hilt, and pulled the sword embedded in the stone with one hand, as if it were nothing. To the onlookers, it seemed as if he hadn't exerted any effort at all.

After pulling out the sword, Biryu-yeon ran his finger along the blade as if to gauge it. The blade had an ominous black sheen, and even after being plunged into stone, the edge was undamaged.

"It's quite a good sword. It has a strange aura, but that can be its charm. It would fetch a good price if sold! Hmmm…"

At that moment, the blade of the possessed sword, Gwihok, in Biryu-yeon's hand trembled. It seemed to be struggling to escape his grasp.

"As expected, a possessed sword is a possessed sword. It probably rejects the touch of anyone who isn't its owner."

Suk Ryuhha said, observing the scene. Biryu-yeon looked at Gwihok's blade again. Gwihok was still trembling, as if lamenting its lack of strength.

"Oh, is that so? What a loyal child. Then it deserves a reward, doesn't it?"

Biryu-yeon smiled faintly. Then, he slowly placed Gwihok on the ground. And with all his might, he stomped on the blade with his foot.

*CRASH!*

The ground shook momentarily. Namgung Sang and the others trembled from the shock that traveled from their soles to the top of their heads. Both enemies and allies stared at the same spot with bewildered expressions.

How could such a sound be produced by a human foot, made of cloth, stomping on the ground? It was a roar like a giant's massive hammer smashing a mountain. Dust from the floor swirled up like a mist.

Biryu-yeon raised the possessed sword, Gwihok, again, his usual smile still on his lips.

"It's weaker than I thought! How boring!"

Gwihok, held in his grasp, no longer trembled. The possessed sword, which had obeyed no one but Cheonsal, had succumbed to the touch of a man.

'That… that ignorant brute!'

Cheonsal doubted his own eyes at this absurd series of events. But nothing changed.

How many times did this guy have to surprise him to be satisfied?

There was only one thing he knew for sure. Unless he eliminated this guy, his nightmares would continue to haunt him. A thick aura of killing intent writhed and emanated from Cheonsal's body like a venomous snake.

"Since it's no fun, I'll give it back now."

*Whoosh!*

Biryu-yeon tossed it casually, and Gwihok flew in a straight line towards Cheonsal. Cheonsal extended the scabbard he held in his one remaining left hand.

*Clang! Screeeech!*

With the sound of metal, Gwihok was sucked precisely into the scabbard as if measured by a ruler.

"Hmph!"

Cheonsal gasped. The heavy weight of Gwihok violently struck his left arm.

Cheonsal's left arm, unable to withstand the force, was pushed back. But his will, not to show such a pathetic sight in this place, moved him. Quickly drawing upon his inner energy, Cheonsal hastily resisted the force pushing his left arm back. A tug-of-war!

*Clang!*

The scabbard and the Gwihok lodged within it swayed like a small boat in a storm. After a moment, the sword calmed as if the storm had subsided, and Cheonsal's flushed complexion returned to normal. His left arm, with the sword sheathed, was extended towards Biryu-yeon once more.

"Grrr… You just wait!"

Cheonsal shouted, his voice laced with an unbearable desire to devour Biryu-yeon. His gaze still emitted a venomous madness towards Biryu-yeon, but it had no effect on him.

'Who is this person?'

Suk Ryuhha looked at Biryu-yeon with astonished eyes. Biryu-yeon? She had never heard that name before.

Her gaze flickered towards the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth. How surprised she had been when she learned their identities earlier. In fact, after learning their identities, she had been prepared to risk her life. Yet these two were astonishingly calm. They didn't seem fearless. Their reason wasn't impaired. Nevertheless, they were completely at ease.

They looked at the man who treated the notoriously cruel Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth so carelessly, and even after the recent exchange, they looked as if it were natural.

'Is it just me who's strange?'

She even had such doubts.

"Well, now that the entertainment is over, shall we begin? Frankly, I'm getting bored waiting!"

Yeomdo said. At his words, Hyoryong firmly gripped his twin swords again.

"You're rushing to your death, red-haired scoundrel!"

Jisal shouted irritably. His voice was chilling, filled with murderous intent.

"Hmph, today, I'll grill that lump of fat into a crispy roast!"

"My brother's enemies, you wicked villains! You will not see tomorrow's sun."

"A mere brat is making noise! I have no business with a brat like you."

Cheonsal shouted, finally tearing his gaze away from Biryu-yeon.

"My sword will answer that."

Hyoryong did not back down.

"Hmph, you seem to underestimate us because we've lost an arm, but you're making a grave mistake. Don't think we've been idle! We have something prepared to show you when we meet again!"

The fruits of their desperate struggle to escape their nightmares. They had it.

Cheonsal, with only his left arm remaining, stood to the left of Jisal, who had only his right arm. Finally, they appeared as one person with two arms. Cheonsal held the possessed sword Gwihok in his left hand, and Jisal held the Mingwang Sword in his right.

Cheonsal's eyes shone sharply as he said,

"The time spent in nightmares… it was long. And that time ends today."

"Says who!"

Yeomdo shouted.

"We don't need anyone's permission."

The Twin Killers simultaneously charged towards the two men.

"Converge Attack?!"

Na Yerin exclaimed.

The Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth were now wielding their swords and sabers indiscriminately, as if they were one body. Their attacks were perfectly synchronized, like meshing gears, with no room for error. Moreover, their sword and saber paths did not cross. As if they were originally one, they began to pressure Hyoryong and Yeomdo.

"It looks like they've practiced thousands of times and ingrained it into their bodies."

"Hmph…"

As Na Yerin continued to speak, Biryu-yeon's gaze turned to the fierce battle below. The flames of swords and sabers and the blood light intertwined, creating a dazzling harmony of light.

Although it appeared brilliant and beautiful from the outside, within this dance of colors lay death smiling at the precipice of life and death.

"Kuk!"

Yeomdo, constantly pushed back by the relentless sequential attacks of the Twin Killers, let out a groan.

While the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth attacked with perfect timing, leaving no room to breathe, the convergence of Hyoryong and Yeomdo, who had not undergone repetitive training, was awkward and full of gaps.

From the outset, these two had underestimated the Twin Killers. While they were once lone wolves, the Twin Killers had suppressed their pride and diligently trained their convergence techniques after that incident. Cheonsal's heavy sword and Jisal's fast saber complemented each other's weaknesses and amplified their strengths, pushing their power to the extreme.

Cheonsal's sword blocked Yeomdo's saber, and Jisal's saber contained Hyoryong's sword. Offense and defense switched in an instant, and waves of swords and sabers washed over Hyoryong and Yeomdo.

"Aren't you going to help?"

Suk Ryuhha asked Biryu-yeon, who was gazing at the fierce battle with an unreadable expression. Even to her eyes, the two allies were clearly at a disadvantage.

"Huh? Why would I?"

Biryu-yeon asked back with a bewildered face.

"Are you really asking because you don't know?"

"They said they would resolve it themselves, so there's no need for me to step in and help. Besides, I have no outstanding debts with them."

"It seems they have debts to collect from you?"

Cheonsal's actions just moments ago clearly indicated that.

"That's their claim."

It was an attitude of only caring about the debts he was owed. Suk Ryuhha was briefly taken aback by Biryu-yeon's response.

"But at a glance, aren't your allies at a disadvantage?"

"They won't die from that. I don't need such foolish disciples."

"Disciples?"

But she could not hear the answer to her question. At that moment, a fiery heat erupted from the battle below.

*CRASH!*

With a roar, a red umbrella of flames unfurled from Yeomdo's saber. It was an extremely powerful defensive technique from Yeomdo's unique saber art, Jinhong Shipchil-yeom.

"Beautiful!"

To her eyes, who enjoyed the color red and was even called the "Crimson Sword Dancer," the fiery saber energy emanating from Yeomdo's saber was incredibly beautiful.

With Yeomdo's move, the Twin Killers' attack faltered for a moment, and Hyoryong, seizing the opportunity, swung his twin swords. A blood-red light flashed from the tip of his sword. Once they lost their momentum, the Twin Killers began to be pushed back by the combined attack of Yeomdo and Hyoryong.

Swing and block, block and evade. If a gap appeared, stab; if stabbed, block again.

Offense and defense, defense and offense! Offense and defense, then offense, offense, then defense, defense!

The back-and-forth battle, like a squirrel on a wheel, with offense and defense in flux! Neither side could gain an advantage, and time just passed.

*Clang! Clang!*

Only the resonant clang of swords, shattering the quiet night sky, echoed in the courtyard of a mansion. Everyone watched the duel of the four, lost in thought. The moon and stars held their breath, watching this fight.

Just then.

"Huh?"

It was sensed suddenly, without warning.

Biryu-yeon suddenly turned his head and looked at the sky to his right. Something extremely unpleasant was stimulating his nerves.

Who is it?

He couldn't discern their identity. But he could certainly feel their presence. And he was certain. That it was a more dangerous entity than all the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth combined!

'Dangerous!'

That was where Moyong Hwi had fled with Eun Seol-lan.

"Stop!"

Biryu-yeon waved his hand once, and two silver flashes shot from his sleeves, slicing through the darkness.

*Clang! Clang!*

One of them deflected Cheonsal's sword, and the other deflected Jisal's saber. The fight entered a temporary stalemate due to the third intervention.

Yeomdo and Hyoryong, who were locked in a fierce battle with the Twin Killers without yielding an inch, wore displeased expressions. Why stop them? They could have finished off those wicked villains in just a little longer. Their eyes seemed to say so.

[Lead everyone and escape through the main gate immediately!]

[No, why all of a sudden?]

[There's a reason.]

Yeomdo's expression became even more displeased. It was as if he had said there was no need to know the reason.

[You mean leave those two old men behind?]

That seemed to be his biggest complaint.

[Yes. A bigger problem could arise than that.]

Yeomdo grudgingly nodded.

Then, he relayed Biryu-yeon's plan to the people, disguised as his own suggestion. As expected, dissatisfaction erupted.

"That won't do. We can't just leave them in front of our eyes."

As expected, Hyoryong's dissatisfaction was the strongest. His expression clearly indicated he could never back down.

"Do you think I want to leave?"

"Then why?"

When asked that, he was at a loss for words. He had no choice but to resort to his trump card.

"Don't ask, you'll get hurt! Another threat is approaching. If we stay like this, we'll be in an even tighter spot. We can't waste too much time being bogged down here! As long as there's a mountain, you won't worry about firewood. As long as you are alive, there will be opportunities for revenge."

"Kuk!"

Hyoryong bit his lip tightly, answering with silence. Yeomdo patted his slumped shoulders.

"Are you ready?"

Biryu-yeon asked. The people nodded.

"Then let's go!"

At that moment, two silver rings flew from his hand, tracing silver tails towards the Twin Killers. The Twin Killers quickly raised their swords and sabers to block the incoming rings. The immense inner energy contained within them made their palms tremble as if they would tear. Retrieving the returned rings, Biryu-yeon said,

"I'll lend you this life for a few more days! Wait until the one who is owed the debt handles it, after cleaning your necks."

At his words, the Twin Killers of Heaven and Earth froze, speechless. A moment of opportunity arose.

Not missing the chance, the rescue party, led by Yeomdo, opened an escape route. Fierce sword energy and ferocious saber energy slashed in all directions. Enemies caught in the tidal wave of sword and saber energy fell in droves.

They charged forward in a straight line, opening an escape route.

"Ryuyeon?"

Na Yerin's gaze searched for Biryu-yeon. She couldn't see him in her field of vision.

Biryu-yeon did not follow the group but moved his body to the right. That was the path Moyong Hwi had taken.

Moyong Hwi ran. Even carrying Eun Seol-lan on his back, he showed no signs of exhaustion. He had never received such weak training.

Eun Seol-lan's breath tickled his ear.

He didn't look back.

Most of the enemies were gathered in the courtyard where Biryu-yeon and Yeomdo were, so almost no one blocked his path. A few warriors left to guard other areas blocked his way, but they quickly became lone souls under his flashing sword.

Just then.

"Stop!"

The voice was a very low bass, as if imbued with the weight of the night.

The voice, ringing softly. The voice carried a strong power. And at the same time, a cold, eerie energy flew towards his neck, aiming for it. He had no time to confirm what it was.

"Gasp!"

Moyong Hwi, almost instinctively, raised his sword to defend himself.

*Clang!*

Moyong Hwi stopped naturally. And he gazed into the 'beyond the curtain of night,' shrouded in deep darkness.

Beyond the darkness, it was there. Its form was not visible. But he could feel its terrifying presence so vividly it sent shivers down his spine.

"Who are you?"

Moyong Hwi shouted. His hands trembled, as if the lingering aftershock of the previous blow had not yet subsided.

"I am the one who will take your life!"

A chillingly cold answer returned.

Beyond the darkness, it was there.

His hand was shining white, like jade. A white hand in the darkness. Like a sliver of the new moon left in the shadow of the night. The stark contrast of black and white. It made it even more bizarre, creating a sense of dread.

Moyong Hwi was caught in its grasp. The owner of the hand seemed non-existent, as if they weren't there at all.

From the tips of the five white fingers, it felt as if formless spiderwebs were being spun. It felt like a mass of invisible spiderwebs floating in the air.

'Dangerous!'

A corner of his mind screamed so. But the enemy was fast. Carrying Eun Seol-lan, even escape was impossible.

Moyong Hwi, who had stopped, carefully placed Eun Seol-lan on the ground and stood in front of her, holding his sword like a shield, a wall.

The wind stopped in its path, the stars held their breath, and the darkness of anxiety, impatience, and fear opened its eyes. The darkness began to pulse.

The realm beyond the darkness appeared to be a space beyond this world's horizon, but through his skin and sensory organs, through his micro-sensory receptors and his sixth sense, he could perceive it clearly. That danger lurked beyond. And amidst it was a white hand.

The hand slowly rose high into the sky.

It looked as if it were grasping the darkness of the night sky in one hand.

Chilling goosebumps vigorously stimulated Moyong Hwi's nerves and instincts. It was an instinctive warning.

The white hand fell.

Dan-wol-in (Moon-splitting Blade)

An attack that seemed to cut the earth and split the moonlight, but due to being engulfed in darkness, Moyong Hwi couldn't see its form. He only knew that something black and dark was lunging at him like a living snake.

He felt a pressure that crushed his soul. Moyong Hwi desperately swung his sword, relying on instinct rather than sight.

*CRASH!*

*Bang bang bang bang!*

Perhaps he hadn't completely evaded the opponent's strike, his clothes tore, and blood spurted from various parts of his body. Moyong Hwi almost lost his grip on his sword.

A formless energy collided at high speed, and its weight and power were immense. It felt like blocking a giant rock rolling down a mountain with a single sword.

His grip tingled. His palm tore, and blood flowed.

*Grind!*

Moyong Hwi gritted his teeth.

He felt as if he would spit out a mouthful of blood. He felt a foul liquid rise to his throat and then go back down. He felt the churning of his internal organs with agonizing clarity.

'I couldn't see it!'

He only felt its presence, but couldn't see it. He had swung with all his might, relying only on his senses. The conditioned reflexes gained through repeated training! That saved him.

*Zzzzt!*

Through the tremors and shocks transmitted from his sword to his hands, wrists, and arm muscles and nerves, Moyong Hwi could confirm that the invisible blade had a physical form.

'This person is stronger than me!'

He couldn't guarantee he could block the opponent's next strike, who was blending into the shadows of darkness – yet whose presence he could vividly feel.

It was an unknown energy he encountered for the first time. What was peculiar was that despite the intense pressure and presence that suppressed his mind and body, he felt no murderous intent. Yet, Moyong Hwi had never felt so close to death.

'Can they control their murderous intent at will? Or is it unnecessary to kill someone like me?'

In a single clash, he knew.

The pressure from beyond the darkness increased again. A presence that weighed down on him from beyond the darkness, where even moonlight did not reach. A terrifying aura. An unknown energy he had never felt before.

'I can't block the next strike!'

It was a desperate prediction.

"Damn it!"

Moyong Hwi, who always used polite and refined language (using incorrect language, impolite words, or curses and vulgarities had been unacceptable to him until now), let out a rough cry.

Moyong Hwi himself was surprised by the coarse language he had just used.

'Miss Eun…'

Even without looking back, he could feel Eun Seol-lan's breath, her presence, and her scent. He was now the last bastion protecting her life. If he lost here? A horrific outcome, too terrible to contemplate, was inevitable.

'I must protect her! …Even if it costs me my life!'

Moyong Hwi clenched his sword tightly and swore.

If he yielded here, the damage would be Eun Seol-lan's damage, and in the worst case, it could lead to death. In other words, this was a duel he absolutely could not lose.

Moyong Hwi hardened his resolve.

There was definitely a beast baring its fangs filled with murderous intent in the darkness. He had to block the fangs of that beast.

Moyong Hwi took a small step forward with his right foot, shifting 80% of his weight.

*Swish!*

His sword slowly rose and settled in the absolute center.

The absolute center. It was the most central point when drawing a circle with his height as the diameter, based on the Ren and Du meridians that ran through the center of his entire body.

As the center of his beloved sword, passed down from his grandfather, the Sword Sage, settled in the center of his body, the gaps scattered throughout his body completely disappeared.

A unique defensive method created by the Sword Sage Moyong Jeong-cheon and passed down to his grandson.

He had been told, "If you can move the same distance in the same amount of time for all distances that can inflict damage on you, isn't that perfect defense?" This was the posture of extreme peace, making him the safest.

He had now decided to forsake offense (功) and choose defense (守).

A flicker of surprise seemed to emanate from the white hand floating in the darkness. Whether it was a momentary illusion, it sounded like a light exclamation of admiration. Moyong Hwi's preparation seemed to be quite unexpected. However, the white hand also showed no intention of backing down.

"Interesting!"

Another low voice echoed. Moyong Hwi tensed all his nerves.

The pressure from beyond the darkness was growing larger.

He knew that an attack that would break his defense in one blow, a fatal strike to take his life, was being prepared.

For the first time, facing an enemy, a foe, he felt his confidence wane. This was a feeling he had never experienced, no matter how strong an opponent he met.

This feeling was new.

Moyong Hwi bit his lip until it bled. And with that intense pain, he rebuked and recomposed his weakness.

In this situation, evasion was not permissible. If he evaded, Eun Seol-lan would die. If that were the case…

'It's better if I die!'

Moyong Hwi's eyes blazed intensely.

The white hand moved.

*Swish!*

Beyond the darkness, cold murderous intent approached. Cold. Deadly. But still invisible. However, he could feel it.

The neck!

Moyong Hwi slightly extended his sword forward.

*Clang!*

A clear metallic ring echoed. Moyong Hwi's neck was still safely attached to his body. The first clash was Moyong Hwi's victory. However, he had not yet identified its nature. The formless blade that had approached him had already vanished.

'As expected, I couldn't see it!'

If he couldn't discern the opponent's move, the more time passed, the more disadvantageous it became. And the more dangerous Eun Seol-lan would become.

Again, a formless blade pierced the darkness. He could feel its presence more clearly than before. His body was adapting.

Right heart!

Moyong Hwi slightly twisted his sword to block its trajectory.

*Clang!*

But it was a trap. The moment Moyong Hwi's sword deviated slightly from the center, another sharp point pierced through the gap.

Fast!

Keeping his sword fixed, he twisted his body in an instant. A burning sensation spread across his left forearm. However, fortunately, his heart was unharmed.

*Swish swish swish!*

The opponent seemed unwilling to give Moyong Hwi any respite. This time, three formless projectiles flew, with time differences. Then, Moyong Hwi's sword, as if it knew a substitution technique, split into three to defend against each threat. Perhaps learning from his previous mistake, it was a much more refined defense. However, his thigh was grazed. It was a wound sustained while forcibly blocking the energy that was heading towards Eun Seol-lan.

*Swish swish swish swish swish swish!*

Again, an attack flew from the darkness. This time, it had a form. Silver sword energy surged towards Moyong Hwi. But he couldn't rejoice, thinking he could see and block it. He wanted to shout that it was unfair.

Of course. After three consecutive attacks, more than ten sword energies, flashing with murderous intent, flew to slash his entire body.

"Hah!"

With a battle cry, Moyong Hwi's sword scattered starlight. Sword energies like a meteor shower erupted from the tip of his sword, enveloping him. A circular barrier formed, resisting the threat like a shield.

It was a Sword Barrier (Geommok).

"Hah, hah!"

Cold sweat drenched his back. He was already breathing heavily. The reason was that blocking each move consumed a tremendous amount of mental energy. Moyong Hwi's condition was terrible. The fierce onslaught of the white hand had surprisingly ripped through his most perfect defensive technique, the Sword Barrier, and surged towards him.

He barely managed to dodge, letting out a frantic cry, but the unexpectedness meant he couldn't avoid injury. His limbs were cut, and blood flowed. Fortunately, he had avoided a fatal wound, and Eun Seol-lan was also safe.

Though it was frustrating, he had to admit that the owner of the white hand was a master superior to him.

Once again, a low voice echoed from the darkness.

"You're quite skilled. Try blocking the next strike too! If you can block it, I'll let you live."

It was absolute confidence.

Hearing that, Moyong Hwi realized the opponent had no intention of letting him live. His words meant that he would go all out to kill him in the next strike. The owner of the white hand desired only his death.

'Do I have the strength to block the next strike with my current condition?'

Moyong Hwi calmly assessed his condition. Torn palms, ragged breaths, minor injuries that were not fatal but burdened his body, and the person he had to protect!

Even if he was willing to sacrifice his life and fight to a mutual destruction, the outcome of the victory was bleak. However, given his responsibility to protect Eun Seol-lan, his range of action was extremely limited. His sword could not move beyond the area where it could protect Eun Seol-lan. He could not escape the spatial and temporal distance required to protect her. Protecting her was the true goal of this fight.

'There's only one way! The sealed final technique!'

However, it was a dangerous gamble. An incomplete technique, imperfectly mastered. A reckless method akin to mutual destruction.

Moreover, if he died here with the opponent, there would be no one to escort Eun Seol-lan to safety. His mission was not to die with the opponent but to somehow escort Eun Seol-lan to safety. At that moment, a helping hand reached out.

"May I switch places?"

A leisurely voice, completely unsuited to the midst of this fierce battle.

Moyong Hwi's head snapped back. And his face lit up.

The person standing there was none other than Biryu-yeon.