Book 23 Chapter 17

"Let's have a one-on-one duel!"

— The Green Forest King did not.

The Black Dragon King had no intention of a one-on-one duel from the start. He was not a stale, rigid, and pedantic scoundrel of the orthodox sect. Therefore, he saw no need to be pretentious. What kind of law applied to plunder? His way of life was to flow like water and blow like wind, living as he pleased (he felt sorry for water and wind to say this). There was no need to go through the trouble of taking something that could be easily taken.

Biluyun, who had no hope of their conscience, loyalty, or pride, carefully scanned the faces of the men surrounding him. They had faces devoid of fear. Some even wore smiles that mocked him. After looking at each of the men who were armed and ready to carry out the task of killing him, he finally met the Black Dragon King's gaze.

The moment their eyes met, the Black Dragon King flinched at the deep, calm, and tranquil left eye. Biluyun shrugged his shoulders and said,

"This is truly disappointing. The Green Forest King, Im Hogyeol, whom I met before, wasn't this cowardly. He was quite gallant."

Upon hearing this, the Black Dragon King, startled, widened his eyes and retorted,

"What! You mean you've met that Im fellow?"

The Black Dragon King's reaction was more over-the-top than Biluyun had expected. In fact, the two were eternal rivals and sworn enemies. To say they didn't get along was an understatement; they harbored immense hostility and competitiveness. Just as water and soil cannot mix, so were they.

"Of course. He blocked our path before, and he bravely accepted a one-on-one duel."

It wasn't a lie. It was the truth. However, at that time, it wasn't Biluyun himself who fought a one-on-one duel with the King of the Green Forest, but Jinseonggon Im Seongjin, the King's own son.

"S-so, what happened?"

"After one round, he told us to leave. He even saw us off. He said this at the time: 'We are not on the same level as the carp swimming in the water of the Yangtze River. We mountain men are cheerful and exhilarating!' "

"What! Carp! That mountain cat called us carp!"

The Black Dragon King, completely taken in by Biluyun's words, exclaimed in anger,

"Yes, he definitely called us carp. He said we were fools who couldn't even breathe properly once we came ashore."

Biluyun replied with a gentle smile. Every word he spoke pricked at their insides.

"Damn it! That Im brat! How dare he…!"

Of course, these were Biluyun's fabricated words. However, he suspected that the Green Forest King might indeed harbor such thoughts.

The Black Dragon King lowered his head and began to ponder deeply.

'Damn it! This is a 120% provocation… Why did that Im fellow have to do such a useless thing and bother me like this! If Im's name is brought up, I can't back down, damn it! I have my pride! Besides, the guys behind me are glaring; how can I maintain my dignity if I retreat now!'

If he did, it would clearly cause problems in managing and leading his subordinates in the future. Bandits were inherently people who were far removed from loyalty from birth.

After a long period of thought, the Black Dragon King seemed to have made up his mind. He spread his chest wide and said,

"Fine! This time, I will humor you and fall for your provocation!"

From the moment the Green Forest King Im's name was mentioned, he was in a position where he could not back down. To show his tail tucking between his legs in front of his subordinates was unthinkable.

"Good. You're as straightforward as someone who lives in water. That's what a sect leader should be like!"

Although he gave a thumbs-up on the outside, he thought to himself,

'Fool!'

Still, Biluyun was pleased that things were unfolding as he wished. But he wondered why it didn't work on his master.

'Surely I wouldn't lose to such a junior!'

Just as many people had judged Biluyun by his appearance, the Black Dragon King made the same mistake. This was exactly what Biluyun wanted. He was not so foolish as to reveal all his cards.

"Well then, hurry up and get ready. I need to finish quickly and go to sleep, *yawn!*"

After yawning once, Biluyun casually let his temporarily obtained iron staff, the Spirit Rod, hang down.

"Guys, bring… *that*!"

At the Black Dragon King's command, four strong men carrying a palanquin approached, groaning. They placed the palanquin in front of him and opened the lid. Then, the four men struggled together to lift something out of it.

"Hurry up! Did you eat slugs?!"

Frustrated by their sluggishness, he roared. They sped up a little, but it was still a fifty-step, hundred-pace difference. The four men managed to pull something out of the palanquin and present it to their leader.

"Heave!"

The Black Dragon King lightly lifted the massive object that the four men struggled with and slung it over his shoulder. Looking closely, it was a large chunk of iron, with a round hole and a thick chain attached to it.

'That lump of iron looks familiar…'

It was an anchor, used to secure a ship on the water.

"Hahahaha! Surprised? This is called 'Iron Blood Anchor' (鐵血錨)! It is my unique weapon!"

The Black Dragon King said with an arrogant laugh.

"That's a weapon that reeks of ignorance."

Biluyun commented briefly.

'Do they have to use such ignorant things as weapons to look strong?'

To him, it was just a heavy, dull lump of iron. The Black Dragon King's body, chiseled with bulging muscles, seemed to have been made to wield this weapon.

"Hahahaha! This is man's strength!"

The Black Dragon King slammed the Iron Blood Anchor, which he had carried on his shoulder, onto the ground with force.

*Thud!*

The earth trembled as if an earthquake had occurred. At the same time, his chest and arm muscles twitched and bulged.

'It looks hot just by looking at it.'

Eyes were not meant to see such things. Eyes exist to see and feel more. If one wishes to see, they can even see the true nature of the world.

'I'll have to wash it off later by looking at Yerim.'

Otherwise, he might have nightmares. He wanted to live seeing only beautiful and good things, but the world was not so simple.

"Well then, shall we begin?"

The Black Dragon King said with a triumphant smile.

"Dad, just kill that rude guy!"

His daughter, Haeohwa, cheered, waving her fist.

"Uwahahaha! Don't worry, just trust your dad!"

He seemed pleased with such encouragement, opening his mouth wide and waving back, a truly ridiculous sight.

"Sigh, my fate… I hated doing free labor."

Biluyun sighed deeply. He wanted to finish this unproductive, free labor as soon as possible and do something more productive.

"Let's finish quickly and go home."

Biluyun said without stopping his sigh.

"Guys! Everyone step back! The boss is moving. It's dangerous if you're close!"

Hogang, the leading figure among the three guardians of the Eighteen Yangtze River Settlements – Hogang (護江), Hohha (護河), and Hotian (呼天) – ordered, and the Black Dragon King's subordinates began to retreat slowly. They feared something. They were like herbivores fleeing a great threat. Finally, the three guardians retreated.

*Clang!*

After the Black Dragon King lightly shook his chain once, he pulled up the anchor resting on the ground with his muscular right hand. It was the notorious 'Iron Blood Anchor' that had made the thousands of miles of the Yangtze River tremble.

He swung this iron anchor mercilessly, sweeping away all enemies who stood in his way. No one could withstand the tempestuous storm of the iron anchor. The immense weight, combined with its speed, pulverized all weapons that stood in its path. Even the Hyeoncheon-eurin, made of specially processed hide as tough as iron, could not guarantee the safety of a warrior if struck by the arrow-like tips of this anchor.

'Ah, I don't even have that now!'

Biluyun decided to approach cautiously.

"You actually carry such a thing as a weapon. No wonder you're a pirate."

He started with words.

"Hmph, scared? I can forgive you if you crawl on the ground and beg for mercy right now. Hahahaha!"

"You have such big dreams. That will never happen, so don't worry, pirate uncle."

Biluyun said with a light scoff.

"Don't call me a pirate! I am the Water King (水王)! And the ruler of the Yangtze River!"

The Black Dragon King exclaimed in anger.

"You really like that. Do you not seem strong if you don't call yourself the Water King?"

No matter how many times he called himself the Water King, it held no authority for Biluyun. No, it was something to be laughed at. What else could one cling to if not a self-proclaimed title when they had nothing to show for it? He clung to a mirage-like title because he had nothing else.

"What's wrong with me calling myself the Water King! Fine. Then I will prove it with strength!"

It seemed everything came down to strength in the end. He had annihilated enemies with strength, rose to his current position with strength, and planned to maintain his position with strength in the future.

"It seems that's all you have. It's not a very elegant method, though…"

It couldn't be helped.

Biluyun raised his iron staff, which he had newly named 'Guta-gakseong' (狗打覺醒), and pointed it directly at the Black Dragon King's face, declaring,

"I promise, your ignorant lump of iron won't even brush against my clothes."

"Insolent brat! How incredibly arrogant! I promise you too! You will be beaten into a bloody mess by this Iron Blood Anchor!"

Who was right, only time would tell when they clashed.

"Before we start, let's settle one thing."

"What else?"

The Black Dragon King replied irritably. Having always subdued his enemies as he pleased, he couldn't understand why such a troublesome procedure was necessary before a fight. First, threaten, and if they don't comply, kill. Then all wealth became his. Justice was undeniably simple. He had expanded his possessions greedily in that manner.

"Impatient. Listen quietly. If you, Water King, win, I'll just give you the boat. But if I win, you will definitely pay me the price of three boats. No objections, right?"

"No objections! But I have a condition too!"

"What is it?"

"If I win, kid, I'll take your life as well!"

Biluyun chuckled and said,

"As you wish."

In any case, if he couldn't sell the boat, his master wouldn't let it slide.

"Ah, and one last thing."

"Ugh, what now!"

Biluyun said with a bright smile.

"If you call me 'kid' one more time, I'll break all your dirty teeth."

Ignorance (無識), Brutality (無慘), Ruthlessness (無慈悲)!

The martial arts of the Black Dragon King, the chieftain of the Eighteen Yangtze River Settlements, could be summarized in these three words.

Biluyun had seen many humans who used various ignorant weapons as their arms, but compared to the Black Dragon King, they were all insignificant. His martial arts were far removed from subtlety and had long parted ways with precision. In terms of ignorance and ruthlessness, he was undoubtedly dominant. He was a prime example of how ultimate ignorance could lead one to become a sect leader.

'But it's still not elegant!'

*Boom boom boom!*

*Crunch! Bang! Crunch! Bang! Crunch! Bang!*

Raising his muscular right arm high and swinging the chain, he snapped large trees caught by the anchor. The Black Dragon King had no interest in environmental issues. Therefore, he had no hesitation in destroying them.

*Boom boom boom! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

As the speed of the anchor at the end of the chain increased, the destruction accelerated, and nature was brutally slaughtered. If he wasn't careful, it seemed he might even sweep away his own subordinates. His method was simple: if he devastated everything within the reach of his power, the enemies within would also be annihilated.

'That's why everyone runs away.'

His subordinates, who had scurried away and fled, watched from a distance. They knew, by their survival instincts, that if they got caught in that ignorant frenzy, they would be utterly destroyed. Their ruler was not someone who could fight alongside others.

"Hahahaha! How is it? Scary? Isn't it scary?! Hahahaha! I'll mash your bones and flesh together!"

*Crash bang boom!*

Even as he spoke, the Iron Blood Anchor continued to destroy the surroundings. Waves of destruction, rapidly altering the surrounding landscape, gradually approached Biluyun.

"Yawn…"

A yawn escaped Biluyun's lips as he silently watched. He yawned comfortably without holding back. That's how bored he was. The encounter with his master seemed to have had a big impact. Witnessing something that had reached its extreme was both a blessing and a curse. Once one's standards are raised, there's no going back. Especially when it's a being far ahead of you, it evokes two reactions. One is admiration and respect, and the other is hatred and frustration. If he considered the ultimate thing he encountered as a mountain, he could climb it. But if he considered it the sun and moon in the sky, he would be frustrated, unable to chase after it. He would decide that he could never catch up. Of course, he had no hobby of being frustrated and pathetic on the ground. However, the level difference was undeniable, and he couldn't stand the boredom.

He wanted to surpass his master. This desire had been with him for a long time, and in the past few days, it had intensified. He saw no value in fighting unless it was with someone who could help him on this path. Fights without value, fights that were not mutually beneficial, fights that could not be exchanged or understood, were merely tedious labor.

'This must be difficult.'

To threaten like that required so much effort and hardship. It was such a waste. Some people were intimidating just by their presence, while others, no matter how much they threatened and showed off their strength, elicited nothing more than a snort.

"Hahahaha! If you surrender now, I'll spare your life!"

It was such an obvious ploy that it wasn't even cute.

"That means you can't guarantee anything but my life, right?"

"That's right, hhehehe!"

The Black Dragon King replied with a hideous chuckle.

"Whether you gouge out my eyes, cut off my limbs, or sell me as a slave, what does it matter? You'll still spare my life. Right?"

Biluyun said without even twitching an eyebrow.

"How do you know my heart so well? That's exactly what I intend to do!"

As the Black Dragon King's cry fell, the iron anchor, with a 'splash,' showed a change.

Sea Storm Wave (海暴亂波)!

*Vwooooom!*

The iron anchor, hanging at the end of the chain, rushed towards Biluyun like a guillotine blade, tearing him apart with a terrifying sound.

"Yawn, you're too slow."

No matter how fast, the movement of the Iron Blood Anchor, which had sacrificed most of its speed for power, seemed slow and simple enough to Biluyun to yawn. Dodging such attacks was no trouble for Biluyun. He wanted to finish this boring and unfulfilling labor quickly and return to the inn where Yerim was waiting to sleep.

At that moment, the Black Dragon King shouted,

"Is that so?!"

However, an unexpected variable occurred.

*Crack!*

The shadow of the Iron Blood Anchor, which he thought was a simple attack, split from one to three. It was a kind of weapon clone attack, and all three possessed almost real power. And Biluyun was within their range. This technique was a secret art that instantly expanded the effective range.

"……!"

He was caught off guard. He never imagined such an ignorant attack could create clones! But even so, he wasn't the type to be ripped to shreds while staring blankly at an unexpected situation.

Flying Thunder Sect (飛雷門) Secret Movement Technique (獨門身法).

Phoenix Dance (鳳凰舞) Fifth Style (奧義).

Triple Shadow (三疊影).

An eye for an eye, a shadow for a shadow! A clone for a clone! Biluyun's shadow instantly split into three. Depending on the direction or timing of the opponent's attack, any one of these three could become a real entity. Of course, the moment one of the three became real, the other two became illusions and would not be harmed even if swept away by the enemy's attack. Triple Shadow, which could instantly switch between one real entity and two illusions, was a higher-level technique than Sea Storm Wave, which temporarily expanded the effective range by increasing the number of real entities to three.

*Swoosh!*

*Crack crack crack!*

The third shadow of Triple Shadow narrowly escaped the effective range of Sea Storm Wave. As expected of the leader of a great black force, he was on a different level from the fledglings of the Cheonmu Academy.

"I-impossible! To evade Sea Storm Wave…!"

He never imagined that such a frail-looking brat would escape the clutches of his indiscriminate destructive technique.

"Such a primitive technique is useless against an intelligent person like me."

Biluyun said with a slightly mocking tone as he landed lightly on the ground.

"Hmph! Don't get cocky just because you dodged that one! You're making a big mistake if you think that's all my martial arts can do. I'll show you a bigger wave this time!"

Thinking that he was being mocked by such a young brat, the Black Dragon King became enraged to the point of his eyes rolling back.

'I'll kill you, brat!'

Gathering all his inner energy once more, he began to spin the chain with force.

*Vwooooom!*

Again, a terrifying windmill began to spin above his head. As it was such a large technique, it seemed to have many weaknesses, but surprisingly, the Black Dragon King, who was executing the technique, had no significant flaws in his body. The spinning anchor, revolving close to the ground with a terrifying sound, declared that it would crush everything that entered its path, blocking it.

'Tch, if only I had the Flying Thunder Sword… this would be nothing…'

There were limitations to the martial arts that could be achieved with such a crude iron staff. The range was a particular problem. It felt as if his arms had become infinitely short.

'First, I need to get inside that range.'

The further he retreated, the less his chances of winning.

'What should I do?'

This was not a problem that could be solved by brute force. It was not a very elegant solution.

"Oops, guys, move back a bit more! The wave is coming!"

Hohha, one of the guardians with a scar on his cheek, shouted. He seemed to know what was coming next.

*Whoosh!*

As soon as the guardian's command fell, his subordinates also quickly retreated much further than they had been standing.

"Hah!"

With another sonorous shout, the iron anchor, which had risen vertically, plunged down towards Biluyun's head. It was difficult to block such a crude object with just this iron staff. Even with the meticulously crafted Hyeoncheon-eurin, he would not have been unharmed. It was strong against sharpness, but weak against such brute force. But he wasn't worried.

"Pfft! I could dodge this with my eyes closed!"

No matter how powerful, if it doesn't hit, it's useless. As if to prove it, he tapped the ground lightly with his left foot and retreated backward.

"Hahaha! I expected you to dodge!"

The Black Dragon King exclaimed triumphantly, a smile of self-satisfaction on his face.

"What?"

*Crash! Boom!*

The giant steel anchor hit the spot where Biluyun had been standing. Then, a deafening roar echoed, and a wave of dirt rose like a tsunami, engulfing Biluyun. The seemingly crude strike was merely a means to create this dirt wave.

"Oh, no!"

Only then did Biluyun understand why this move was called 'Raging Storm Tide' (狂風怒濤). The dust storm that rose with the dirt wave obscured his vision almost completely. Biluyun grumbled and raised his iron staff above his head.

"I can't see!"

He slashed down. The trajectory of the iron staff drew a straight line.

*Scrape!*

The strike, as if by magic, split the rising wave and the gusting wind in half. Instead of retreating, Biluyun charged directly towards the incoming dirt wave.

Flying Thunder Sect (飛雷門) Secret Movement Technique (獨門身法).

Phoenix Dance (鳳凰舞) Fifth Style (奧義).

Lightning Arrow (閃電一矢).

Through the gap in the split dirt wave, Biluyun shot out like a bolt of lightning.

"Holy crap!"

The Black Dragon King, emitting a cry that translated to 'Holy crap! This is unbelievably stupid!', quickly retrieved the Iron Blood Anchor and entered a defensive stance. He never imagined that the brat would charge into his range with such a bold approach.

Normally, humans facing the 'Raging Storm Tide' technique would instinctively retreat. When faced with a dirt wave as high as their own height, such a thought would naturally arise. This was the intended purpose of this technique. In doing so, the attacker's vision would be obscured by the dust storm, making it difficult to distinguish their surroundings. At that moment, like the scythe of Death or the cleaver on the execution block, the tip of the Iron Blood Anchor would plunge into the flailing body. By then, it would be too late to block. Even if blocked, it would crush and break the enemy's body along with the weapon. This was the true power of the Iron Blood Anchor.

It was useless even if known, useless even if blocked. It only offered destruction to those who clashed with it. This ignorant martial art was the most powerful driving force that had allowed the Black Dragon King to reign as the ruler of the Yangtze River Settlements for the past twenty years.

But he never imagined that such a technique would be broken by such a young brat.

Caught off guard, the Black Dragon King hastily retreated. However, 'Whoa!' he lost his balance due to moving too quickly.

'With that stance, the next technique won't be able to exert its full power. He was a bit careless.'

The power of the Iron Blood Anchor, wielded by the Black Dragon King's bulging muscles, was immensely strong, but it required him to stand firmly on the ground to wield it properly. If his balance was disturbed, there was always the risk of being dragged by the Iron Blood Anchor.

"It seems this match is mine!"

He had no hesitation in seizing the advantage that the opponent had lost. The distance between the two was now less than a jang. The Black Dragon King, having lost his balance, had neither the time nor the ability to correct his stance and counterattack. But…

"Not yet!"

He was also a man at the pinnacle of the black path sect. He had a trump card prepared for such emergencies. He brought the tip of the Iron Blood Anchor, which he had shouldered, to Biluyun's nose.

"……?"

*Clang!*

The tip of the anchor opened with a click, revealing a black hole the size of a fist. The moment he saw the dark, deep hole,

*Shivers!*

A cold chill ran down Biluyun's spine like lightning.

'This is dangerous!'

Instinctively, Biluyun raised his Spirit Rod and placed it in front of his body. Through the upright Spirit Rod, he caught a glimpse of the Black Dragon King's triumphant smile.

*Whoosh!*

Aiming the black hole at Biluyun, the Black Dragon King quickly pulled a string attached to the Iron Blood Anchor.

*Boom!*

With a thunderous roar, flames spewed from the black hole of the anchor slung over his shoulder.

*Thwack!*

*Whoosh!*

Hit at close range by a cannonball, Biluyun's body flew about five jang away like a severed kite.

"Hahahaha! How is it, taste the Thunder Cannon!"

The Black Dragon King, after retreating about two jang from the recoil of the shot and barely regaining his stance, shouted. His hair was covered in dust and straw, and his black silk robe was also dirty with dust, as he had rolled on the ground a couple of times due to his unstable posture while firing the cannon. Nevertheless, the Black Dragon King, who quickly got back on his feet, let out a triumphant laugh. He was now the winner, so anything was permissible.

Biluyun, who had flown five jang away, was destined to hit the ground headfirst. No matter how capable Biluyun was, he couldn't prevent his brains from spilling out if he fell defenselessly. However, just as he was about to crash headfirst into the ground, Biluyun flipped his body in mid-air and landed lightly on the ground with his toes. Seeing this, the Black Dragon King exclaimed in shock,

"I-impossible! To be unharmed after taking a 'Thunder Cannon' (霹靂砲) head-on!"

The Thunder Cannon, hidden inside the Iron Blood Anchor, was small but its power was comparable to a large caliber cannon. As the saying goes, small peppers are spicy. Even a substantial ship would have a large hole in its side from one shot. Therefore, if a human body took it head-on, it should have a large hole in it.

"Cough, cough! Wow! That was really dangerous. Phew, I almost died."

Biluyun coughed incessantly and grumbled. His words indicated he was still unharmed. But it was definitely dangerous this time.

'I can't believe he had something like that hidden…'

Indeed, in the world of competition, carelessness could directly lead to death.

'I must keep this a secret from Master!'

He made up his mind. If his master found out, he couldn't imagine what kind of teasing he would receive.

"How did you survive, you little brat? Are you made of diamond or something?"

In response to the Black Dragon King's astonished cry, Biluyun shook his head.

"No. My frail body wouldn't be able to learn such crude martial arts."

The process of becoming diamond-hard was said to be an immense undertaking that went beyond ignorance. Beating one's entire body with an iron staff was commonplace in that training process.

"Th-then how?"

"The answer is: because I didn't get hit directly."

With that, Biluyun showed his iron staff. The middle part was indented. It was fortunate that he had deflected it; otherwise, it would have been difficult to remain unharmed if he had taken a direct hit.

"Phew, thankfully it didn't break. I was worried it would break due to the pressure on my hands."

"You blocked this Thunder Cannon with just an iron staff? Don't talk nonsense!"

"Foolishly. I said I didn't get hit directly. When the cannonball hit this iron rod, I just twisted my wrist slightly, gave it some rotation, and changed its direction. Do you understand, you stupid pirate uncle?"

The fact that he could perform such a series of actions reflexively in such a short moment was unbelievable. The Black Dragon King seemed reluctant to believe it. This was the first time this trick had failed.

"I was a bit flustered by the surprise attack earlier, but it won't work again."

Biluyun warned, pointing at the Iron Blood Anchor, which was still emitting smoke.

"This Thunder Cannon won't work?"

"Of course. If you don't believe me, try it."

"Alright! I will!"

Even though the opening of the Thunder Cannon was facing him directly, Biluyun stood quietly, with his iron staff lowered straight.

"Aren't you going to dodge? I'm shooting."

The Black Dragon King threatened.

"As you wish."

Biluyun replied indifferently. His attention was elsewhere.

'Hmm, so how do I cut it…?'

A few simple movements that his master had shown him came to mind. From cutting a log with a small knife that surprised him, to cutting iron with a single reed leaf… He had done these things so naturally, without much effort.

"This is just a parlor trick. Remember, you should win before you even draw your sword, before you swing it. Why fight such a bothersome fight? Don't you agree?"

If what he saw then was not a dream, anything he held could become a sword.

'First, cut with the mind. The body merely assists!'

A sword was born in his mind. The purification of sharpness that cuts everything. The Black Dragon King's action of pulling the trigger seemed very slow.

"Your recklessness! Go to hell and regret it!"

*Boom!*

Thunder struck again. Accompanied by flames, the Thunder Pellet flew. This time, it was a special thunder pellet filled with gunpowder.

CUT (斷)!

Biluyun drew his iron staff, which he had lowered, vertically from bottom to top. As a fierce wind swept past his body, his hair fluttered. The next moment, with a deafening roar from both sides of the lake behind Biluyun, two columns of water shot up.

*Shivers!*

Seeing this, the Black Dragon King's forearm broke out in goosebumps. Cold sweat trickled down the back of this bold man's neck.

'Impossible! Am I feeling fear towards such a little kid…?'

He tried to deny it, but he couldn't hide his body's reaction. His trump cards were all used up, and he had nothing more left.

'S-surely, to cut a flying Thunder Pellet in half with such a crude iron rod…!'

What was this supernatural feat? How could he perform such a miraculous skill with such a shoddy iron rod to cut a flying cannonball? It couldn't be the magic of the iron rod. It was purely the skill of the individual. It was close to divine skill. It wasn't a divine technique. It was the culmination of a technique born from tens of thousands of repetitions. Those who had not understood the principle of cutting could not reach this level. Therefore, he should give up fighting head-on and negotiate…

"How could that be, you fool! It's not over yet!!"

If he retreated now, his status would sink to the bottom of the Yangtze River. He would die before he retreated.

*Click!*

He once again raised the Thunder Cannon and aimed it at Biluyun. In fact, there were three thunder pellets loaded in this Thunder Cannon, and this was the last one. But this time, Biluyun was faster. One trick was enough. Next, he had to think about winning.

*Whoosh! Thump!*

Before he knew it, the tip of the iron staff had been sucked into the black hole of the Iron Blood Anchor. The Black Dragon King, terrified, threw away the Iron Blood Anchor and leaped backward.

At that moment, with a 'Boom!' the Iron Blood Anchor shattered.

"As expected, no matter how hard the iron lump, it seems it can't withstand an explosion from within."

It seemed that such aspects were the same for crude weapons and large organizations.

"I-impossible…"

As his clone-like unique weapon was shattered futilely, the Black Dragon King was devastated. He had lost the boat he used for business, and now he had lost the Iron Blood Anchor, his symbol. His resources were dwindling.

"It's over now, isn't it?"

He meant that the Black Dragon King should readily admit defeat and surrender. He thought that if he had gone this far, he wouldn't be deaf and would understand. But that was Biluyun's miscalculation. His ears were much more tightly shut.

"It's not over yet! I still have this chain! I have a few hidden daggers! And throwing darts! So it's not over yet!"

The Black Dragon King shouted hysterically.

"How pathetic. Don't you know the saying that a true man knows when to retreat? It's unsightly to struggle over something that's already over. Admitting defeat is also courage."

The Black Dragon King spat on the ground and shouted roughly,

"Gack! Spit! Call me whatever you want! As long as you don't knock me to the ground, it's not over! I'll show you the tenacity of the black path! The last one standing is the winner!"

"Well, I agree with that… If so, I'll show you who the last one standing is, as you wish. Perfectly, so that you can no longer refuse."

With that, he raised his iron staff and took a middle stance. Biluyun's consciousness focused on the tip of the sword.

"I'll make it grand for the last one."

That was the most he could do for the Black Dragon King.

"It won't be easy, you brat!"

The Black Dragon King faced Biluyun, swinging his last remnant of pride, the chain.

'I cut it like this a moment ago, didn't I?'

Biluyun moved his body as his heart dictated. Because he didn't rely on weapons, he focused more on his mind. However, it was impossible to remember actions he didn't consciously perform. Only the 'feeling' remained. And what Biluyun intended to do now was to recreate that 'feeling.' Enlightenment is not theory but feeling and experience, which is why it cannot be shared with others. The iron staff moved along the path of his heart. He couldn't remember whether his mind was first, his body was first, or if they were simultaneous.

The iron staff moved in a beautiful arc.

*Tududududuk!*

What happened at that moment was beyond the Black Dragon King's comprehension. The Black Dragon King's chain, struck by the seemingly effortless curve, snapped like rotten rope.

"What is this?"

He no longer had the strength to be surprised. Only doubt filled him. Not missing this opportunity, Biluyun kicked off the ground and lunged at the Black Dragon King. The Black Dragon King, having lost his proud weapon, was almost defenseless. Especially his mind, which was close to panic due to the continuous mental shock. The iron staff clutched in Biluyun's hand emitted a bluish light. What was tragic for the Black Dragon King was that this iron staff, named Taek-gak-seong (Spirit Rod), was much harder than the 'dog-beating stick' proudly sold by the liberal party.

*Shooooosh!*

Qi gathered towards the Taek-gak-seong Spirit Rod. Biluyun's arm muscles began to relax rapidly to enable free and dazzling beating.

Biluyun, who considered himself a possessor of flexible thinking, believed in learning even from his disciples. There was one technique that had greatly impressed Biluyun in the past, and it was the final technique of Tagu-bongbeop (Tavern Staff Technique) performed by No Hak. He had seen No Hak use it before. What was the name of that last technique…? He remembered it had quite a magnificent name.

Perhaps it was called 'Cheonhamugyeon' (天下無犬), or rather, 'Cheonhamugu' (天下無狗). It was an ultimate technique filled with a grand and spirited(?) intention to kill all dogs under heaven. Seeing this, Biluyun finally realized that his Sam-bok Gu-ta-gong (Three Midsummer Dog Beating Technique) was still lacking. He reflected that there was still a lack of strictness. He needed to be more flexible in his thinking. Compared to the ultimate Tagu-gong, which aimed to kill all dogs in the world, the Sam-bok Gu-ta-gong, which only hit one, was too small in scale and ambition. Biluyun deeply reflected on this fact and secretly worked to improve his Sam-bok Gu-ta-gong and present it again to his disciples and fellow disciples. Although they were not disciples or fellow disciples, today seemed to be the day his efforts would be rewarded.

He couldn't fully grasp the essence of the final technique of the Tagu-bong, which was said to be bizarrely varied, but the important thing was the atmosphere. In other words, the momentum! The tip of No Hak's staff lacked momentum. It was a domineering momentum combined with the persistent will to kill all dogs in the world. The path of the technique was roughly imitated, but the momentum was no less, if not more. Biluyun thought that his own shortcomings were also this kind of momentum. Perhaps he had been too soft-hearted (?) until now. Because they were his beloved disciples and dear fellow disciples, he had been too lenient with them. At that time, he blamed his weakness, but in situations like today, there was no need to hold back.

"I warned you beforehand, but you ignored the warnings like they were nothing, so now you'll pay the price. A promise is a promise!"

A promise? Ah, that was probably about smashing his mouth if he called him 'kid' again.

Sam-bok Dog Beating Staff Technique (三伏狗打棒法).

Malbok (末伏) (Last Midsummer).

Cheonhamugu (天下無狗) Copy and Improved Version (複寫改良版).

Cheonji Mugyeon (天地無犬)!

*Bababababat! Tududududududu! Babababababak!*

Biluyun's Spirit Rod, temporarily serving as a Tagu-bong, drew brilliant afterimages and struck the Black Dragon King's entire body. Amidst tremendous beating sounds, phantom images of the staff rained down on the Black Dragon King's massive frame. Even the Black Dragon King, in his weakened state, couldn't withstand the onslaught of staffs pouring down like rain. Imagine the beating meant to kill all dogs in the world falling upon a single person.

"Gweeeeeeeeeeeek!"

A desperate scream from a man echoed from the waterside of an island in Dongting Lake. It was a brutal display of beating that could turn even the observers to stone, let alone the one being beaten.

"Surr… *cough!* …render… *cough!* …surrender… *cueeeeek!*"

It was only natural that the Black Dragon King, unable to bear it any longer, surrendered, breaking his pride.

"Yawn, is it finally over? It took too long."

A person who had been watching the fight between the two from afar yawned as if bored. It was the old master. The master had watched the fight between Biluyun and the Black Dragon King from beginning to end. However, it didn't seem very interesting.

"To be so flustered just because he lost a weapon he was accustomed to. Tsk, tsk. He still has a long way to go. I thought he had developed more, but I'm disappointed."

The master seemed displeased with his disciple's growth.

"He seems too complacent with his current state."

He didn't seem to feel the need to become stronger. If so, it was the master's duty to make him keenly feel that need.

"To be like this after only three years of my absence, tsk! He needs more training, much more."

As expected, a disciple is a being who grows with the master's attention.

"Ah, such a master who lavishes attention on his disciple, what a wonderful master. Wonderful, wonderful. Huhu."

The old master nodded with a satisfied expression, uttering words that would make Biluyun spit blood if he heard them.