Book 26 Chapter 5
For the eternal world of beauty, Mi-pok-guk
— A red flower blooms
“It’s frustrating, but the difference in class is too great!”
Gongsun Zhehui, watching the fight between Donghaewang Gamja-gun and Moyong Hwi, was frustrated, so frustrated, so incredibly frustrated, yet he couldn’t deny the fact. He had been defeated without even knowing how, but Moyong Hwi, even after exchanging blows for over ten seconds, not only wasn’t easily defeated but even counterattacked when the opportunity arose.
The sword energy, like a meteor shower, that he had just displayed was a technique Gongsun Zhehui could never imitate. If he had been in Ja-gun’s position, could he have blocked that sword energy just now? To that question, Gongsun Zhehui could only shake his head. Yet, that greasy guy blocked it. And even though he was caught off guard, he didn’t immediately fall and managed to evade.
‘…Is this the difference in class!’
With a gaze that seemed to look into the distance, Gongsun Zhehui stared at Moyong Hwi’s back. Today, that back seemed even further away than usual. So far out of reach…
‘When will I ever be able to chase after that back?’
Ever since he was defeated by Moyong Hwi’s duster with a real sword at the well, he felt the gap had only widened, not narrowed.
‘Ah, no! No! If I keep having these negative thoughts.’
The more he thought like that, the more he fell into self-loathing. The confidence he had when he left his clan, to overthrow the Moyong family and announce the Gongsun family’s prestige to the entire martial arts world, was no longer there.
Gongsun Zhehui looked at the clan’s treasured sword in his hand. He had resolved to become someone worthy of that sword…
It was frustrating. But at the same time, he thought he was cool.
And he realized. If he falls behind in this group, it’s over. This bizarre rescue squad that Moyong Hwi belonged to was somehow different from the world he stood in. They were different from the disciples of other major sects or the brats of noble families who were content with themselves. Their gaze was already fixed elsewhere. Gongsun Zhehui, whether he liked it or not, realized that if he fell behind in this group, he would no longer be able to chase after that back. He had to stay in this world, even if it meant gritting his teeth. Even if he died here, it didn’t matter.
He would rather die than become a being of no value to Moyong Hwi. At this moment, for the first time, Gongsun Zhehui shed both his clan pride and his arrogance, and truly realized his own position. Even though he didn’t want to admit it, the realm he aspired to was right there. Even if it was frustrating enough to bring tears to his eyes, he had to admit it. That position was the starting point from which he had to begin. In any case, first, he had to defeat that greasy guy.
His motivation began to burn fiercely.
With his heart burning deep inside, Gongsun Zhehui clenched his fists and shouted powerfully.
“Brother Moyong, crush that potato fellow!”
Besides, that potato fellow had the audacity to propose to Miss Yan Fei, whom he secretly cherished. Who else but him should be crushed?
Ja-gun’s expression crumpled further at Gongsun Zhehui’s rude and audacious remarks, which seemed to damage his beauty every time he opened his mouth. A sinister laugh escaped his contorted lips.
“Heh heh heh heh. I will show you the true power of beauty.”
Yangyan Hwa Hwaryeoryeo Shingong (陽炎華華麗麗神功)
Yangyan Bunyeong Ryeongshin (陽炎分影麗身)
For a moment, Ja-gun’s form seemed to warp, and then he split into five. Towards the surprised Moyong Hwi, Ja-gun shouted in a triumphant voice.
“How is it? This is what they call ‘amplification of beauty’! What do you think, haven’t you seen anything like this before?”
However, Moyong Hwi’s reaction was cold.
“Aren’t you just multiplied? Clone techniques aren’t that amazing.”
There were so many monstrous humans around Moyong Hwi that simple clones weren’t that surprising. Especially, the cloning technique used by Bi Ryuyeon was so peculiar that Moyong Hwi hadn’t grasped its essence yet. Compared to that, Ja-gun’s multiplied clones seemed indistinct and shimmering, so it didn’t seem particularly impressive.
“How dare you ignore this overwhelming beauty! You truly cannot be left alone. I will engrave my beauty directly onto your body!”
Enraged at his technically and visually confident skills being ignored, Ja-gun’s face turned red with anger, and he launched a furious assault.
Chwararararak!
From the five divided figures, red whips, like ferocious snakes, relentlessly attacked Moyong Hwi from all directions. He tried to block them with his sword, but it wasn’t easy. The whips, made by twisting special materials, were so tough that even a sharp sword could not easily cut them.
“Hahaha! How is it? Taste my beautiful whip!”
Pangpangpangpangpang!
As he spun the whips around Moyong Hwi, the sound of air bursting echoed continuously. At the same time, flower petals scattered fiercely by the wind generated by the whips.
With five divided bodies attacking from all directions, Moyong Hwi was disoriented. The clones were not amazing, but there was a secret in Ja-gun’s movement technique, which was their basis. That secret prevented his sword from reaching Ja-gun.
‘Right now, using any grand technique will only be a waste of my qi.’
No matter how powerful a move, it’s useless if it doesn’t connect. The more he tried to slash Ja-gun’s forms, the more the swirling flower petals around him increased. The number grew so much that a barrier of swirling flower petal wind formed around them. In that wind, Ja-gun’s form was completely hidden.
‘Is this an illusion…….’
Looking around, he saw nothing but violent flower petals swirling. It felt as if his vision had been blocked.
‘This!’
Before he knew it, he was completely cornered.
The moment Moyong Hwi sensed danger,
Red whips flew in simultaneously from five directions. Furthermore, the ends of the whips were split into multiple branches, making it very difficult to distinguish between feints and real attacks.
“Eunha Milmil (銀河密密)!”
Moyong Hwi hastily deployed his sword barrier, trying to block the attacks coming from all directions. However, because he had been too deeply engrossed in deciphering the secret of the phenomenon, his reaction was slightly delayed. In that gap, the red whips flew in.
Swaeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
Like ferocious snakes, three or four red whips bit into Moyong Hwi’s body without hesitation.
“Kuaaak!”
Along with a sharp pain that dug into his flesh, a groan escaped Moyong Hwi’s lips.
Pusyuk!
Blood gushed out like a fountain from where the whip had struck.
“Kuk. Th-This is impossible!”
Although he had allowed the attack, he had reduced its power by deflecting it with his sword, so there was no reason for this much bleeding.
‘Is it related to that tingling pain I felt earlier….’
Based on his combat experience, the tingling pain from earlier was not the kind of pain expected from an attack received by a whip. To put it metaphorically, it strangely resembled the pain of a sharp nail piercing flesh.
“Could it be….”
A sly smile formed on Ja-gun’s lips.
“Didn’t I say earlier that beautiful flowers have thorns? The thorns of a red rose are sharper and more pointed than any other thorn.”
However, there were no thorns embedded in the red whips Ja-gun held in his hand. Moyong Hwi soon grasped the secret.
‘It seems to be structured to shoot out thorns the moment it contacts the opponent.’
In that case, it’s not a rose but more like a bee. Moreover, those thorns seemed to cause abnormal bleeding.
“A red flower has bloomed beautifully,”
Ja-gun whistled lightly and said with a meaningful smile.
Moyong Hwi’s white robe, stained with the blood that burst from within him, looked as if three red flowers had bloomed.