Chapter 649

Jang Cheon-hwa was so strong that calling him “strong” felt like it wasn’t enough.

Swoosh!

Just a light swing of his sword disrupted the very flow of the air.

Where his blade passed, deep scars remained.

Seeing a huge rock that had stood for thousands of years break in half was really unsettling.

Jang Cheon-hwa displayed such swordsmanship effortlessly.

Yet, there wasn’t any visible sword energy or aura around his blade.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t emanate it.

There was simply no need.

He had packed all his years of cultivation and power into his sword. Even without a flashy show, its strength was on par with the most powerful sword auras.

Crash!

Another massive rock was sliced away.

Pyo Wol narrowly dodged Jang Cheon-hwa’s assault.

Had his reaction been a split second slower, he would have been cleaved in two, just like the rock.

It was an astounding display of swordsmanship.

Whizz!

Jang Cheon-hwa’s blade thrust forward faster than the eye could track.

Dodging was no longer an option.

Without thinking, Pyo Wol created a barrier using his Threaded Serpent Qi.

Thud!

Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword was caught by the thin layer of qi.

Ordinary attacks would be deflected or cut off by the Threaded Serpent Qi. But this time it was different.

Snap!

Like cutting through rotten thread, Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword easily went through Pyo Wol’s barrier and continued forward.

Pyo Wol, almost reflexively, flipped his body.

He used the “Iron Plate Bridge” technique, which many martial artists looked down on. But in desperate times, there was no place for pride.

Moreover, Pyo Wol didn’t see any shame in using the Iron Plate Bridge.

Ultimately, the one who does whatever it takes to survive wins.

Rip!

Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword grazed past Pyo Wol’s chest.

The edge of his clothing tore, revealing bare skin beneath.

If he was even a bit slower, his chest would’ve been split in two.

At the brink of life and death, Pyo Wol retaliated with another barrier of Threaded Serpent Qi.

Jang Cheon-hwa looked disappointed,

“Is this all you have?”

While making qi into thin strands was impressive, for a skilled martial artist like Jang

Cheon-hwa, it wasn’t very special.

If he wanted, he could also form his qi into thin strands.

However, he refrained, considering it inefficient.

Always concise.

Always conserving internal energy.

This was one of Jang Cheon-hwa’s principles.

Slash, slash, slash!

Standing close, Jang Cheon-hwa repeatedly stabbed his sword at Pyo Wol’s chest.

Using his snake steps, Pyo Wol narrowly avoided most strikes. However, he couldn’t escape them all, and he was injured.

Long gashes adorned his chest and shoulder.

Pyo Wol gritted his teeth.

He was a man of great patience, whose expression never changed in the face of pain. However, Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword contained an indescribable amount of power.

Being struck by his sword was not only painful, but also numbing.

This was the greatest danger for an assassin whose life depended on speed.

“Show me everything you’ve got, Pyo Wol!”

Jang Cheon-hwa pressed on relentlessly.

In response, Pyo Wol unleashed the “Black Thunder” technique.

Harnessing this power stimulated his nerves, doubling his reaction speed.

As Pyo Wol moved with blinding speed, Jang Cheon-hwa smirked.

“You’ve gotten faster. But it’s still slow.”

Swish!

Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword kept pace with Pyo Wol’s fast movement.

Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword lunged towards his neck.

Pyo Wol slammed his fist against the sword.

It was the Jade Breaker, a fist technique that concentrated all of its power in a single point.

Clang!

Hit by the strong force of Jade Breaker, Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword shook intensely.

The immense power transferred up the blade into Jang Cheon-hwa’s hand.

At that moment, Jang Cheon-hwa spun in mid-air, dispersing the force.

After quickly deflecting the Jade Breaker, he swiftly hit Pyo Wol’s abdomen with his other hand.

Boom!

With a thunderous sound, Pyo Wol was flung backward.

Pyo Wol staggered.

Just before the impact, he had defended himself with his knee.

His kneecap shattered, swelling instantly.

Pyo Wol’s mobility, one of his major strengths, was now compromised.

Jang Cheon-hwa shook off the pain, advancing towards Pyo Wol.

It wasn’t just Pyo Wol who sustained damage. The counterforce from the knee strike had fractured or at least cracked Jang Cheon-hwa’s left hand bones.

A regular person would have screamed in such pain, but to him, it didn’t matter.

Tightening the grip on his sword, Jang Cheon-hwa approached Pyo Wol.

To Jang Cheon-hwa, the injured Pyo Wol looked as defenseless as a cornered mouse. However, Pyo Wol was far from just a mouse.

Nor was he truly trapped.

Although he lost his mobility, he still had his Threaded Serpent Qi.

Seeing Pyo Wol releasing his Threaded Serpent Qi, Jang Cheon-hwa sneered.

“Do you still think those tricks will work on me? I’m amazed by your persistence. Sometimes, admitting weakness is the path to growth.”

“You sure talk a lot! I’ve never seen someone so full of themselves speak so much.”

“Hmph! Do you really think such low-level techniques will work on me?”

Snap!

Mocking Pyo Wol, Jang Cheon-hwa lunged.

Whoosh!

His blade seemed to split the very air.

Targeting both Pyo Wol’s body and the Threaded Serpent Qi.

Just then,

Zap!

The Threaded Serpent Qi vibrated and surged with lightning energy.

The Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi!

The Threaded Serpent Qi now augmented with Black Thunder, its might increased manifold.

Crack!

Jang Cheon-hwa’s blade clashed with the Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi!, and electric sparks scattered.

A glint appeared in Jang Cheon-hwa’s eyes.

Whether due to the lightning energy of the Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi! or its sheer force, the backlash was significant.

The previous Threaded Serpent Qi vanished with a single stroke of Jang Cheon-hwa’s blade, but the Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi remained intact.

Zing!

Pyo Wol continuously wielded the electrified Threaded Serpent Qi.

The Threaded Serpent Qi, coursing with black thunder, lashed out at blinding speeds.

Facing Pyo Wol’s counterattack, Jang Cheon-hwa shifted from offense to defense.

Clash!

In the span of a single breath, Jang Cheon-hwa’s sword and Pyo Wol’s Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi! collided dozens of times.

With every step Jang Cheon-hwa took forward, the pressure on him intensified.

The mounting pressure felt as if he were diving deeper into an abyssal ocean.

Jang Cheon-hwa’s eyes trembled.

Pyo Wol’s resistance was fiercer than he had anticipated.

And it wasn’t just resistance.

With time, whether due to growing skill or newfound enlightenment, the might of the Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi was amplifying.

‘So, my eyes weren’t mistaken after all.’

With a smirk, Jang Cheon-hwa swung his sword even more fiercely.

Clash!

Again, the sword and the Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi clashed dozens of times.

While fervently wielding the Black Thunder Threaded Serpent Qi with his hand, Pyo Wol moved his shattered knee side to side.

Crack!

With a sound reminiscent of bones knitting together, the swollen knee regained its original form.

Incredibly, Pyo Wol’s knee had fully healed.

Such an occurrence was beyond Pyo Wol’s expectation.

To his knowledge, he did not possess such regenerative abilities.

‘Could it be because of the blood transfusion from Shin-Woo?’

Nam Shin-woo was known to possess almost immortal healing capabilities.

Pyo Wol had received his blood once, but he hadn’t noticed any significant changes at the time.

Now, it seemed that the transfused blood was manifesting its power.

‘Excellent!’

Pyo Wol began moving with a terrifying speed.

Although Jang Cheon-hwa might have the upper hand in raw martial strength, Pyo Wol was unrivaled in speed and agility.

Zip!

Pyo Wol moved at a speed that was indistinguishable to the naked eye.

“Hmph!”

Jang Cheon-hwa snorted and chased after Pyo Wol.

His relative lack of agility was only when compared to Pyo Wol; in reality, Jang Cheon-hwa’s movements were incredibly fast.

Furthermore, he knew how to move with minimal effort for maximum effect.

When Pyo Wol made a large arc in his movement, Jang Cheon-hwa would cross the shortest distance to intercept.

Thud! Bang!

The two continuously collided and rebounded off each other.

Both moved beyond human limits.

Steam rose from their heads and shoulders, a phenomenon caused by pushing their bodies to the extreme.

Splash!

Suddenly, the overcast sky began to pour rain.

A drizzle quickly turned into a torrential downpour, engulfing the mountaintop.

Boom!

Thunder roared, and lightning flashed.

Amidst the storm, the two fought with wild abandon.

Neither had anticipated such conditions.

A stray bolt could easily strike either of them.

Ordinary individuals would have halted the battle for fear of lightning. But they continued, their attacks becoming even fiercer.

Flash!

Lightning illuminated the mountaintop, turning it momentarily stark white.

At that moment, Jang Cheon-hwa laughed.

“Ha-ha!”

It wasn’t a mock. It was genuine joy.

As time passed, Pyo Wol’s techniques became more refined and potent. In response, Jang Cheon-hwa evolved terrifyingly.

Each spurred the other’s growth.

It was the exact situation Jang Cheon-hwa had longed for.

Pyo Wol’s martial skills had now reached a level that even Jang Cheon-hwa couldn’t easily ignore.

It had dramatically improved through their battle.

Still, Jang Cheon-hwa could smile because he firmly believed he would ultimately win.

Everything was falling into place for him.

Through his duel with Pyo Wol, gaps in his abilities were being filled.

In one swift moment, Jang Cheon-hwa felt as if he had shattered the walls that once restrained him, stepping onto a new plateau.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Jang Cheon-hwa was deeply conscious of the level he had reached and knew precisely how to use it.

Suddenly sheathing his sword, Jang Cheon-hwa looked directly at Pyo Wol.

Instinctively, Pyo Wol sensed impending danger.

Jang Cheon-hwa spoke,

“Thank you, Pyo Wol. With you as my stepping stone, I’ve reached greater heights. As repayment, I’ll show you the enlightenment I’ve achieved.”

For a moment, a fierce gleam shone from Jang Cheon-hwa’s eyes.

“Gah!”

Pyo Wol abruptly clutched his chest.

He felt an excruciating pain in his heart.

It was as if a thin razor was slicing his heart into pieces.

This wasn’t just a sensation.

Jang Cheon-hwa was truly attacking Pyo Wol’s heart with an invisible blade.

Formless Heart Sword.

A martial art that was uniquely Jang Cheon-hwa’s, an advanced version of the Formless Sword.

A method that releases an unseen blade with mere thought, targeting the opponent’s life.

Another form of Heart-Strike Kill.

Originally, the Heart-Strike Kill couldn’t harm a martial artist who had reached the same absolute

realm, but by adding the essence of the Formless Sword, Jang Cheon-hwa made it possible.

“Gah!”

Unable to bear the pressure on his heart, Pyo Wol dropped to one knee.

At this rate, his heart would soon be sliced to pieces.

His complexion was ashen, but his eyes still glowed with determination.

He hadn’t given up, even now.

Jang Cheon-hwa declared,

“You’ve already lost. It would be easier to give up now and meet a painless end.”

At that moment, Pyo Wol moistened his lips.

“Caught…”

“What?”

“You… I’ve… caught you.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

Confused by Pyo Wol’s unexpected words, Jang Cheon-hwa frowned.

The two were considerably apart.

It was impossible for Pyo Wol to have caught him.

Crash!

Suddenly, lightning struck the mountaintop.

During that bright flash, Jang Cheon-hwa saw it.

Silvery threads, spread around him like a spider’s web.

This was Pyo Wol’s meticulously crafted Spider’s Silver Web.

While engaging Jang Cheon-hwa, Pyo Wol had subtly surrounded him with the Spider Silver

Web.

Upon realizing this, Jang Cheon-hwa scoffed.

“Hmph! What of it? Unless it touches me, it can’t harm me.”

“But… what if lightning is added?”

“What?”

As suspicion crossed Jang Cheon-hwa’s face, Pyo Wol, enduring the pain in his heart, channeled electrical energy into the Silver Spider Web.

Just as Jang Cheon-hwa perfected the Formless Heart Sword during their duel, Pyo Wol also had an epiphany.

Electric energy attracts more of the same.

Although he didn’t have much energy left, the faint electrical charge flowing through the Spider Silver Web was sufficient.

It was enough to pull the vast electrical energy amassed in the sky.

Now was the moment.

Flash!

A bolt of lightning, far more immense and powerful than any before, struck the Spider Silver

Web.

For a split second, the mountaintop was illuminated in pure white.