C171
Two blue-haired individuals. Cale's eyes saw Choi Han and the Heavenly Demon running towards the two Blood Demon Successor candidates who were still on the city walls.
-Human, shall we?
"Yes."
Swish~
The wind coiled around their ankles.
Mounted on the wind created by Raon, Cale quickly approached the city.
His steps stopped for a moment.
Kwaaaaaaah!
With a roar, a black presence rose into the sky. It shone with its own light.
A Black Yong.
It was the dark aura rising from Choi Han's sword.
And right beside it.
Woooooo~
With a massive ripple, a White Dragon revealed its form. It was the power of Choi Jung Soo, known as the Sword Demon here.
Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo.
Together, they leaped over the city wall and charged towards a person.
The candidate with blue hair, resembling the color of the sky, something Cale had entrusted to Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo. What Cale had asked the two members of the Choi Family for was one thing.
'Do not give the Magic Formation a chance to rise again. Catch the person who created the Magic Formation.'
Cale and the two members of the Choi Family understood this clearly, especially because they had seen the candidate with so many adornments.
So the two Black and White Dragons they controlled had their eyes on her.
"......!"
The eyes of Candidate Yun widened. She stomped on the Magic Formation hastily at that moment when her image instantly moved to another location.
Kwaaaaaaah!
The place where she was got devoured by the Black Dragon.
Kuwoong. Kung.
Debris from the broken wall fell to the ground. The Black Dragon rose violently in its place, raising its head towards Yun, the Blood Demon Successor candidate.
"!"
But Yun didn't have time to look at it.
She evaded it.
Then, the White Dragon, which had silently approached her, looked at her in disappointment. Choi Jung Soo's eyes did not waver from her.
The usual calm and gentle expressions of Choi Jung Soo and Choi Han, which were normally quiet and kind, were now surprisingly similar in their expression.
It was at that moment...
"D-Demon Sword-nim!"
Choi Jung Soo heard a familiar voice and turned around.
There was Dokgo Ryeong, the Young Leader of the Dokgo Family, who had run up with her hands tied behind her back.
As everyone tried to catch the Sword Demon, the Dokgo Family was the one who welcomed him as a benefactor and protected him. The Young Leader of that family shouted as soon as her eyes met the Sword Demon. She had to convey this message.
"That woman is an expert in the Profound Realm! All the candidates are Profound Realm experts!"
Profound Realm. How high was her level? If compared to Young Master Kim, who was an expert in the Nature Realm, it might be considered insufficient, but considering that the highest level of most Sects was in the Unrestrained Realm, the Profound Realm was an extremely high level.
If one remembered how many people couldn't even reach the Unrestrained Realm despite dedicating their lives to martial arts, one could imagine how formidable the Blood Demon Successor candidates were, still looking so young.
That's why, as soon as the wall collapsed, Dokgo Ryeong did her best to escape from there. Because she had to inform the people coming to their aid about the level of the Blood Demon Successor candidates.
"And there are many experts in the Unrestrained Realm here too!"
She had to prevent these allies from dying in vain. She knew that her shout, insignificant as it may be, was vital for the fight. That's why she was desperate. Because, from what she knew, the Sword Demon was only an expert in the Unrestrained Realm. Moreover, she had never seen Choi Han's swordsmanship in action.
"Be careful..."
So, carefully, fight.
As Dokgo Ryeong was about to say those words, she abruptly stopped. Choi Jung Soo was already in front of her.
"Thank you for the information."
Suddenly...
The ties binding Dokgo Ryeong's hands broke.
Then he forcefully removed the gag she had around her neck.
"Young Miss Leader of the Family, please be careful too."
After saying that, Choi Jung Soo turned his back without hesitation. Upon this sight, Dokgo Ryeong couldn't help but shout once more.
"They are experts in the Profound Realm..."
"It's fine."
Dokgo Ryeong and Choi Jung Soo's gazes met.
He said calmly.
"We won't lose."
His voice was gentle, but there was determination in it.
Dokgo Ryeong didn't know what to say, so she kept her mouth shut.
Then, she saw something in his eyes.
Kwaaaaaaang--
With a loud crash, Choi Han's sword clashed against Candidate Yun, swinging wildly.
Without the slightest recoil.
Bang, thud, bang!
Candidate Yun wielded a staff adorned with sparkling gems. The sword gleamed with a bluish light, and a blue glow also appeared on her body as her eyes turned blue. Her expression was very relaxed.
"You're quite good. It would be best if you became a Jiangshi."
As she expressed her preferences, Choi Han silently swung his sword.
Kwaaaaa!
The black aura and the blue energy clashed with each other. No one backed down. Of course, the blue energy was becoming more and more powerful.
"Kim Haeil, that guy, the Divine Beast, and you. There are many bodies that could be useful, right?"
Choi Han's eyebrows raised at that moment. However, Yun didn't know, and as if facing prey, she casually drew lines with her staff. Those lines seemed to be sword techniques, but not all the images had been completed.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Candidate Yun waved her staff to block the White Dragon attacking her, but then she stopped.
Quaaaang!
"Ugh!"
It was the first time she let out a groan. Behind the White Dragon, the Black Dragon tried to tear her apart.
If she dodged the precisely aimed and delicate sword, a wild and uncontrollable sword would go for her throat.
"Ha."
Yun let out a laugh that was more of a sigh.
"I can't help it. I didn't want to leave scars on the bodies of future Jiangshi, but..."
A blue aura surged from Yun's body with tremendous vibration.
"I'll have to subdue them a bit roughly."
When she said that with a smile,
Kwaaaaaah!
The Black Dragon lunged straight at her, not giving her time to speak.
Thud!
The staff clashed with the sword. Beyond the diagonal intersection between the staff and the sword, she looked into Choi Han's eyes. Choi Han's black pupils stared at her. And Choi Han's mouth opened, murmuring.
"Do you use blue energy because you're from the Blue Blood Family?"
"...What?"
Yun's eyes widened.
"I guess so. Each Hunter Family has its own characteristics."
She was surprised and turned to look. Choi Jung Soo was approaching quickly. She quickly straightened her body. It was the first time a confused expression appeared on her face.
Choi Jung Soo smiled at the sight.
Uuuuuuung...
His sword began to roar. The White Dragon's aura was getting more and more intense. So far, it seemed like everything was just a warm-up.
"You're not going to get excited, are you?"
When he asked that question to Choi Han, Choi Han responded by raising his sword without saying a word. The black aura erupted as if releasing the anger that had been building up since he heard Yun's intention to turn her Jiangshi friends.
"Let's finish this quickly."
"Yes~"
Choi Jung Soo cheerfully replied and followed him.
"Who are you guys?"
For the first time, Yun questioned the identity of the two people before her.
Choi Han responded in silence.
"Hunters."
"...What?"
"Hunters who hunt Hunters like you."
Yun finally realized. Choi Han indeed saw her as his prey. The same went for Choi Jung Soo, who was coming alongside him.
Smile~
Choi Jung Soo smiled at Choi Han's response. And yet, he quite liked it. As he ran toward Yun, the surprised face of Dokgo Rueong was caught in his field of vision.
She seemed surprised by his strength.
"Well, it's natural."
Choi Jung So had made a deal with the God of Death to learn more about the Hunters.
As such, he had to operate in secret, blending in the Central Plains.
As a result, he earned the title of Sword Demon.
Not once had he used his full power in the Central Plains.
Sure, he had used quite a bit of it in his brief duel with Choi Han.
But otherwise, in front of so many people, he always fought moderately.
That's why people hailed him as an expert in the Unrestrained Realm.
"It's the same for me and the old man."
Did they really need to discuss Central Plains levels while talking about the Unrestrained Realm or the Profound Realm? They lived differently from this world. They had their own strength, and it couldn't be divided into levels.
"Let's catch this little one quickly."
Still, there was no reason for Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo to lose to a mere candidate who wasn't even the real Blood Demon or someone high-ranking from the Blood Cult.
Choi Jung Soo, calmly, almost humming, observed Yun's weaknesses while she evaded Choi Han.
Choi Jung Soo had lived much longer than he appeared.
To him, the Candidate Yun in front of him was just a little girl, no matter how strong she was.
The same could be said for Choi Han. He had endured a very long life. There was no way he would hold back against Yun, who had previously said she was going to turn her loved ones into Jiangshis.
Rooooooar------!
The two Dragons lunged like mad.
"Eek!"
Yun's face paled. And there were others looking at her with equally astonished faces.
"This is incredible."
Some of them were martial artists.
"Was the Sword Demon this strong?"
"...The Young Master Kim's group is quite large."
Profound Realm.
Against someone who had reached such a high cultivation level, the Sword Demon and Choi Han did not hesitate to fight.
Some people simultaneously got goosebumps as they realized how amazing the spectacle was.
This was especially true for the martial artists from Sichuan. Tang Yu, the Tang Family Leader of Sichuan, bit her lip.
"What kind of power is this?"
The power of Young Master Kim was astounding, but what did this power mean?
She needed to move quickly right now, but she simply couldn't take her eyes off this scene.
It was then...
"Shouldn't you be helping the Pinnacle Demon?"
A slow but calm voice was heard.
Lee Soo Hyuk.
He was another comrade of Young Master Kim.
He passed by her and said calmly.
"You have to do what you have to do."
Unable to find an excuse, Tang Yu nodded. Then, when she turned her head in the direction he was heading, she stopped abruptly.
'Hmmm?!'
A sudden chill ran down her body, making her feel uneasy. Why was she feeling that strange sensation? The sudden feeling of strangeness quickly disappeared. Then, she could see someone waving their clothes, dyed in a bright scarlet aura.
The Demon Cult's Heaven.
The Heavenly Demon.
He was facing the other Successor Candidate of the Blood Demon.
Bang, bang.
With each step he took, everything around him cracked and shattered.
Suddenly, Tang Yu remembered a word used to describe the Heavenly Demon and the Demon Cult.
'Disaster.'
Yes, they were called disasters.
For fighting without looking back.
But she couldn't think of something like that when she looked at the Heavenly Demon of her time.
The reason was simple.
Despite his majesty and weight, somehow he didn't seem so frightening.
But when she looked at him now, all she could think was that he was worthy of the title of the Demon Cult's Sky.
The fact that there was someone so strong in the Demon Cult...
Tang Yu felt fear. After the Blood Cult, she was afraid. But she quickly regained her composure.
The other side of the Heavenly Demon.
Although he wasn't a match for the Heavenly Demon who had reached the Profound Realm, his weight was as if an emperor was approaching step by step.
The Sword Saint.
The Former Namgung Family Leader, and one of the prominent members of the Justice Faction. He wielded a heavy sword that reflected his own nature. They often called him an old grump behind his back, but his golden sword echoed the title of "Sword Emperor."
"Hah..."
A deep sigh escaped his mouth.
The Heavenly Demon and the Sword Saint.
A blue energy flowed between these overwhelming forces. It was the power of the Successor Candidate Hoya. Since he was also an expert in the Profound Realm, he wasn't being overpowered. On the contrary, the Sword Saint furrowed his brow in confusion.
"Well, aren't the Central Plains a bit weak?"
The Blood Demon Successor Candidate, Hoya, looked at the Heavenly Demon and the Sword Saint as if it were interesting.
The auras of the three clashed tensely.
And it kept getting stronger.
The Sword Saint seemed a little overwhelmed by it, but no one had been pushed back yet.
People around them quickly stepped back.
They felt like they would be crushed by the energy if they tried to intervene.
"How about we have a good fight after a long time?"
Hoya's words were calmly answered by the Heavenly Demon.
"So be it."
Bang, bang--
Even when the three energies collided lightly with each other, the noise was deafening. The boundary between the Unrestrained Realm and the Profound Realm. The swords at the pinnacle of these formidable levels were sharp and deadly. The air grew heavier and heavier as they continued to clash.
But just then...
Clang~
A light metallic sound resonated.
And part of the three energies was cut.
The energies that were so intense they almost took your breath away were inconspicuously cut.
The gazes of the three people turned in the same direction.
Team Leader Lee Soo Hyuk received those looks and lowered his sword from top to bottom with a light movement.
"Don't flaunt your strength unnecessarily. Let's start with what we have to do quickly."
Lee Soo Hyuk spoke in a calm tone to the Heavenly Demon and the Sword Saint.
"There's a lot to do from now on, right?"
Woosh~.
The intangible aura that had been suffocating everything was cut by a simple iron sword.
Team Leader Sui Khan. He strode forward, using his unfettered cutting ability toward Hoya, the Blood Demon Successor Candidate.
-
