Book 27 Chapter 3

Life burning away

-Wolves of the Azure Wolf

"Huff, is this enough?"

"Huff, yes, I don't think they're chasing us anymore."

Only after coming out to a clearing far from the gate of Donghaedo did Moyonghwi and Gongsonjeolhwi collapse onto the scattered rocks nearby.

"Is that so? Phew, we barely escaped."

Moyonghwi straightened his disheveled clothes and sighed, looking tired.

"Sigh, whose fault is this?"

Gongsonjeolhwi, who had suffered along thanks to him, grumbled while dusting off his clothes. Gongsonjeolhwi's face was pale and exhausted, as if he had emerged from hell.

"Are you saying it's all my fault?"

"Of course. Everyone came after you, senior."

"Is, is that so?"

Gongsonjeolhwi drove the point home to Moyonghwi, who seemed somewhat uncertain.

"Of course, Moyong senior."

Donghaewang Gamjagun's unique martial art, Huahwalyeryeoshingong, was certainly bizarre, unconventional, and powerful. Fortunately, Moyonghwi achieved victory with 'Geon-gon-il-won-hap,' which he developed by applying the skills he had learned through Yeomdo and Binggeom, but escaping the island was not easy. It was because of the 'horde' of women surrounding them.

Although they surrounded the two, their target was focused on Moyonghwi. The reason the 'horde' of women rushed at Moyonghwi was by no means to avenge the bloody 'Gamjajorim-gun.' The women, captivated by Moyonghwi's handsome appearance as an ultimate beauty, strong, disciplined, and even from a prominent family, rushed at him, wanting to touch him just once. Of course, among them were many who were not satisfied with just touching and wanted to go a step further.

"I guess it's because they're women from the dark side… I was surprised by how much more proactive they were compared to those at Cheonmu Academy."

"When they asked for tokens of affection and tried to tear off our clothes…"

Gongsonjeolhwi shivered slightly. When the women, who had mastered martial arts, tore at their clothes and accessories, it felt as if a thousand hands were descending upon them.

"I almost lost my hair, not just my clothes."

The women, who wanted to snatch even a single strand of Moyonghwi's hair or his robe tie, were greedy and ruthless, like a pack of wolves hunting prey. With their eyes burning like fire, and perhaps even drooling, their ruthless greed made Moyonghwi's spine chill, his hair stand on end, and his whole body break out in goosebumps.

There were even women who offered dozens of white robes, which were suspiciously obtained from somewhere, from all directions, urging him to change out of his blood-stained red clothes. Despite his cleanliness obsession, Moyonghwi couldn't bring himself to accept the clothes. He sensed a strange, almost insane heat in the eyes of the women offering them.

Eventually, the scene turned into a chaotic mess with screams of 'Kyaaak, Oppa!' and 'Moyong Daegaaaaaaaa!' erupting from all sides. Feeling their lives threatened, Moyonghwi and Gongsonjeolhwi had to attempt a desperate escape using all the martial arts they had learned. If their martial arts skills had been even slightly lacking, they would still be trapped within Donghaedo, surrounded by women.

Gongsonjeolhwi, who had to cross the boundary between life and death simply for accompanying Moyonghwi, suddenly realized that he had become afraid of women, but for some reason, he did not feel ashamed. He had learned the fearsomeness of women. He had seen a side of women that should not be seen.

"You were scared, Moyong senior?"

"Yes, very. In some ways, it was more difficult than the fight with Gamja-gun."

If the mere accompaniment, Gongsonjeolhwi, experienced that much fear, how much worse must it have been for Moyonghwi, the main party? Gongsonjeolhwi found some solace in the fact that even the strong Moyonghwi felt fear.

'I wish I had lived my life without knowing this…'

What should he do now? He couldn't help but have such thoughts, but it was spilled milk. It was impossible to turn back.

"Ah, are you alright with your wound?"

Moyonghwi asked, looking at the stab wound under Gongsonjeolhwi's left eye.

"I'm fine."

"I never knew there would be such a hidden weapon mechanism inside the coffin. I apologize for my lack of caution."

When Moyonghwi apologized, Gongsonjeolhwi flusteredly waved his hands.

"Not at all. It was my mistake. I was the one who carelessly and hastily opened the coffin. I guess my face will look a bit more manly now."

Gongsonjeolhwi chuckled bitterly, touching the wound under his left eye.

If Moyonghwi hadn't rushed in at that moment and blocked the incoming barrage of hidden weapons with his sword aura, Gongsonjeolhwi would have been lying underground rather than standing on the ground.

"I hope the others are okay…"

That was his biggest concern for now. However, it was too late to warn them. He could only trust his friends' luck and skills.

"To be clear, this wasn't my doing. Such things are beneath my beauty."

Donghaewang Gamjagun, who had admitted defeat and calmly guided them to where the coffin was, vehemently denied it. Moyonghwi also felt that he wasn't lying.

"Well, but then?"

"Yes? What is it, Moyong senior?"

Gongsonjeolhwi asked with a puzzled expression.

"Heh."

In response to Gongsonjeolhwi's answer, Moyonghwi suddenly wore a faint smile.

"Why, why are you smiling? Out of the blue?"

Moyonghwi's smile in an inappropriate moment made Gongsonjeolhwi suddenly flustered.

"No, it's just… you always call me 'Moyong Senior' with 'nim,' and it's strange."

"Ah, no, that…"

*Whoosh!*

At that moment, Gongsonjeolhwi's face turned red.

Gongsonjeolhwi, who always glared at his enemies as if he wanted to devour them, had been unusually submissive since leaving Donghaedo. Moreover, his tone, though outwardly polite, always had a sharp edge, but now that sharpness was completely gone. It felt as if all the thorns he had bristled towards Moyonghwi had been removed.

"Th-th-that's because whether I call someone senior, or brother, or whatever, it's my… my freedom, isn't it?"

Gongsonjeolhwi stammered, his face turning bright red with embarrassment. Seeing his fluster, Gongsonjeolhwi himself seemed not to have been very conscious of it.

Having witnessed the fight between Donghaewang Gamjagun and Moyonghwi, Gongsonjeolhwi had begun to call him 'Moyong Senior' with 'nim,' but being pointed out directly made him so embarrassed and flustered that he wanted to dig a hole and disappear into it. Fortunately or unfortunately, he had realized the gap between himself and the one he was chasing. However, he still retained a childish pride that he didn't want to admit it easily, and it remained in a corner of his heart.

"Well, let's leave it at that for now."

However, Moyonghwi still had a smile on his lips. It was a smile like an older brother looking at a cute but immature younger sibling.

"Se-senior is just a title. It doesn't mean I've acknowledged you as my brother. So, don't misunderstand."

"Is that so?"

"Y-yes."

However, Gongsonjeolhwi's tone had also become much more polite. Even though his mouth denied it a hundred times over, he had already surrendered in his heart.

"It doesn't bother me if you call me brother?"

Gongsonjeolhwi waved his hands in extreme embarrassment.

"Th-that's because I'm not… mentally prepared yet…"

"Awoooooooo!"

At that moment, a strange howling sound was heard from somewhere.

The two stopped talking and turned their heads toward the source of the sound. Although the source seemed to be quite a distance away, that wasn't the important thing.

"Wolf sounds?"

Moyonghwi and Gongsonjeolhwi said simultaneously, looking at each other.

"Why would there be wolves in the middle of an island?"

Gongsonjeolhwi's question was quite natural. It was unlikely that wolves, other than the female wolf pack from earlier, would appear on an island in the middle of Dongting Lake, not deep in the mountains.

"Awoooooooo! Awoooooooo! Awoooooooo!"

However, as if to deny his thoughts, wolf howls echoed several times.

Moyonghwi's expression rapidly darkened. If something that shouldn't be there is in a place where it shouldn't be, it means something unusual has happened.

"Something is ominous. Let's go."

Moyonghwi said, jumping up from his seat.

"Yes, senior. Lead the way."

Moyonghwi and Gongsonjeolhwi quickly used Qinggong. Their bodies flew like arrows towards the place where the howls were heard.

* * *

Drip! Drip!

Blood dripped from Hyun-woon's body as he ran with his sword. The falling drops of blood left red trails on the path he took.

The howling of hungry wolves and the clanging of metal echoed from all sides. Wolves covered in iron armor and studded with steel spikes relentlessly lunged at Hyun-woon's neck, trying to sink their teeth into him. There were at least dozens of them.

'Why would there be a pack of wolves in the middle of an island like this! Isn't that right, Hyun-woon?'

Namgung Sansan's disgruntled grumbling seemed to echo in his ears. Even such grumbling, no, even curses would have been good. As long as he could hear her voice, it would have been enough.

But that was impossible.

Because Sansan was currently on his back, covered in blood.

She had been injured by the explosion in the coffin and showed no signs of waking up. The blood dripping onto the ground now was not Hyun-woon's blood, but Namgung Sansan's.

'If only I had been more careful back then…'

He hated himself for opening the coffin without any precautions.

'Be careful, Hyun-woon! You idiot!'

Namgung Sansan's cry, followed by a deafening roar. A powerful storm that struck his entire body, fragments scattering in all directions, and a pool of red blood on the ground.

If Namgung Sansan hadn't rushed forward and shielded him after noticing the trap in the coffin, he would have already been dead. But with a life saved at the cost of Sansan's sacrifice, he didn't feel alive even though he was alive.

"I will definitely save Sansan, even if it costs me my life!"

Despite his loud declaration and rush, the current situation was not good. He had only managed to remove the large visible fragments and stop the bleeding with emergency first aid, and then he had her slung on his back, tightly bound with cloth. It was the only way he could use both hands. In a far from comfortable state, Sansan's life force was burning away towards its root moment by moment.

And yet… and yet…

He was being held back here by a pack of wolves. The iron armor of these iron-armored wolves was surprisingly tough, and they couldn't be dealt a fatal blow with simple sword strikes. The fact that he was carrying Sansan also hampered his movement. To pierce that armor and injure the wolves, he would need at least Sword Qi, and Sword Qi to cleave them in two. However, Hyun-woon hesitated to use Sword Qi.

'Of course, if I use Sword Qi, I can defeat these guys with ease. But then…'

The Dan Tian is not a spring that never dries up. Drawing out Inner Energy like scooping water with a bucket will inevitably deplete it. Especially Sword Qi consumes an extreme amount of energy. If he cleared out these wolves by using Sword Qi without restraint, the problem would be what came next.

These wolves were merely hunting dogs. Hunting dogs that drove prey to their masters and tired them out. Or, should I call them 'hunting wolves'? Their masters were Hyun-woon's real enemies.

Moreover, as if their wild instincts were alive, the wolves would quickly retreat and evade whenever he tried to use Sword Qi.

'These guys are waiting for me to get tired. But…'

"Haaap!"

With Hyun-woon's shout, dazzling Sword Qi shot forward. He cleared his path with the Taiqing Sword Style and deployed the Wudang Sect's Qingyun Sect technique to its maximum extent, breaking through the wolf encirclement. The tenacity he had built up from being bullied and bullied by his senior disciple, Bilyeon, was now paying off. He didn't know what insults he would receive from his senior disciple if he fell here.

"I can't go through such a terrible ordeal."

Hyun-woon shook off the unbearable thoughts from his mind and gritted his teeth. His body seemed to have become a little faster.

'Good. If I keep this up, I can outrun those wolves!'

*Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiir—*

At that moment, a sharp whistle was heard from somewhere. As if signaled by the sound, the pursuing wolves' eyes suddenly turned blood red, and they began to attack Hyun-woon with a speed incomparable to before.

"Damn it!"

Despite being flustered by the wolves' sudden movement, Hyun-woon calmly unleashed Sword Qi to counterattack.

*Chaaaaaa!*

Hot blood gushed from the wolves' bodies. Surprisingly, the iron-armored wolves, regardless of their jaws being torn or their bodies split, bit at Hyun-woon's sword. Their predatory instincts were nowhere to be seen, unlike moments before.

'How can this be!'

Hyun-woon was flustered by the wolves' sudden change. As the giant wolves charged to their deaths, biting at his sword, his movements were blocked. The wolf holding the blade in its mouth did not let go even as the sword sliced into its neck. If he stayed put like this, he would eventually be bitten by the iron-armored wolves.

'I have no choice!'

*Shukakakak!*

Hyun-woon exerted his strength and cleaved the wolf, armor and all, regaining his sword's freedom. However, the wolves did not miss this momentary opening and charged at Hyun-woon even more ferociously. While he managed to deal with one, with several attacking at once, even Hyun-woon couldn't help but be overwhelmed.

*Wooooooooooooong!*

Hyun-woon's sword began to emit a stronger blue light. Even if it consumed a lot of Inner Energy, now was the time to focus on eliminating the immediate crisis.

Taiqing Sword Style Secret Technique

Taiqinggangi Sword

Qingtianyu

Sword Qi shot out from Hyun-woon's Qing Song High Sword, flying in all directions like arrows of Gang Qi, piercing the iron-armored wolves. The sturdy iron armor the wolves wore was torn like paper. The wolves' screams erupted from all sides.

"Huff huff! Is it over?"

Hyun-woon muttered, looking at the swirling dust. As the dust settled, the bodies of the wolves, bleeding from various wounds, came into view. Although he was a bit tired from expending too much Inner Energy in his weakened state after the fight with Namhaewang, he seemed to have managed to evade the most aggressive assault for now. However, that was too hasty a thought.

*Kyaoooooo!*

An iron-armored wolf, which seemed to have stealthily approached him in the chaos, rushed towards Hyun-woon's back. Its fangs gleamed as if they would cruelly bite Namgung Sansan at any moment.

"No!"

Hyun-woon quickly turned Sansan behind him and thrust his sword towards the wolf.

*Puck!*

Hyun-woon's sword pierced straight through the iron-armored wolf's torso.

But before he could even sigh in relief, another wolf leaped at Hyun-woon. It was the last one, hidden behind the silhouette of the falling wolf.

This time, he didn't even have the strength to pull his sword out. Nor did he have the energy to fight with just his bare hands.

'Sansan, at least!'

Hyun-woon instinctively pulled Sansan into his embrace. And above her, the iron-armored wolf's cruel fangs descended.

'Is this the end!'

Just then.

"Eunha Seongseong!"

*Shuk!*

A white flash sliced through the air. Sword Qi, like a falling star, passed through the iron-armored wolf, bisecting it.

"Are you alright, Hyun-woon senior?"

At the moment of critical danger, it was none other than…

"Hwi! How did you get here? And what's with those clothes?"

The one who appeared was none other than Moyonghwi, the Seven-Cut Divine Sword. Instead of his usual white robe, he was wearing a blood-red Jangsam, so he was almost unrecognizable.

As soon as he arrived and saw Hyun-woon about to be attacked by the iron-armored wolf, he unleashed Sword Qi without further thought.

"I'm here too, senior."

Gongsonjeolhwi, who had followed Moyonghwi in a hurry, stepped forward and said.

"Ah, yes, thank you. Uh… Gongson-gun."

"It's Jeolhwi, Gong.Son.Jeol.Hwi!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's outburst, clearly having forgotten his name, was soon drowned out by Moyonghwi's astonished cry.

"Huh! What in the world…!"

Following Moyonghwi's gaze, Gongsonjeolhwi also had to gasp. He discovered Namgung Sansan, carried on Hyun-woon's back, exhausted and bloodied.

Namgung Sansan's face was visibly pale, her lips blue, looking like a wax figure from which all life had drained. Hyun-woon's dark face showed a self-deprecating smile.

"It was my mistake. My mistake for not understanding the mechanism inside the coffin."

With no time to spare, Hyun-woon briefly recounted what had happened on Namhaedo.

* * *

"Sansan, wake up, Sansan!"

Hyun-woon cried out, holding Sansan, who had been injured trying to shield him. But Namgung Sansan's eyelids did not move. Only hot red liquid trickled between Hyun-woon's fingers as he held Sansan. Sansan's back was a mess from taking the full force of the explosion. Sharp fragments of debris had flown and embedded themselves everywhere, creating a horrific sight.

"Sansan, Sansan!"

He called out again until his voice was hoarse, but she showed no sign of opening her eyes.

"That woman… it will be difficult to save her now."

Namhaewang Jeon-hon said coldly, looking alternately at the wailing Hyun-woon and the unconscious Namgung Sansan. In that instant, Hyun-woon, who had been holding Sansan, drew his sword and pointed it at Jeon-hon's brow. His eyes, burning with anger, pierced Jeon-hon's entire body.

"Sansan will not die. I will definitely save her."

Although he was no longer able to fight after his right arm was badly injured by Jeon-hun's Pungin-cham (Wind Blade Slash), Jeon-hun's reaction remained cold.

"How? No matter how much money you offer me, I don't think I can sell that woman's life anymore?"

Although he spoke indirectly, it meant that Jeon-hun did not have the ability to save Namgung Sansan.

"I will save her, no matter what. If you don't want to die, tell me where the physician is. There must be physicians in Macheongak too! Someone called a divine physician or a famous physician like Physician Heo Ju-un of Cheonmu Academy!"

Hyun-woon was desperately pleading.

"There are no divine or famous physicians, but there are 'strange physicians' or 'evil physicians'."

Where martial arts contests are frequent, injuries and wounds are bound to occur, so Macheongak, rather than treating general illnesses, had developed 'surgical' methods that were unconventional. Among them were those who possessed medical skills that overturned common sense, passed down through martial arts traditions, and who touched lives with those hands. Such individuals were called 'strange physicians' or 'evil physicians.' They practiced medicine not to save lives, but to satisfy their own curiosity, for personal gain, or for money.

"I've heard of them. They toy with people's lives with their hands, and determine life and death with their needles, and are said to be on par with the divine physician Heo Ju-un of Cheonmu Academy, though they were expelled from the martial arts medical world. I recall their name being Bulakpalcheok or Guchuk… How can I meet that person?"

For some reason, Namhaewang Jeon-hun burst into laughter.

"Puhahahaha! Are you out of your mind? Do you know what you're saying right now? You dare ask 'Saengsa Muheoga' to save your life? The commander of the terrifying Death Four Divisions?"

Although he hadn't realized that the peculiar physician was the commander of the Macheong Thirteen Divisions, Hyun-woon was puzzled. Even so, why was he laughing like that?

"What's wrong?"

Hyun-woon shot back.

"Wrong? Oh, it's very wrong. Well, fine. Since I owe you a debt, I'll teach you for free this time. Do you know why the commander of the Four Divisions, Saengsa Muheoga, Bulak Guchuk, is called Saengsa Muheoga?"

"I don't know."

Hyun-woon shook his head.

"Do you think that epithet is just because he was expelled from the martial arts medical world? If so, you're greatly mistaken. It was given because he determines life and death with his needles and surgical knives without the permission of the King of Hell. Our Macheongak warriors call his unit the 'Death' Division. That place is truly a collective of mad doctors. No one in Macheongak likes to be treated there. Because you never know when a knife will be put to your body, or when a needle will be pricked into an unusual acupuncture point."

It wasn't for nothing that rumors circulated that even a minor finger cut could lead to a visit to the King of Hell.

"But I heard his skills are the best in the dark world."

Jeon-hun nodded as if it were obvious.

"Of course, his skills are the best. Would anyone be able to determine life and death without the King of Hell's permission?"

That was something Jeon-hun also acknowledged. However, before skill, it was his personality that was the problem.

"As long as Sansan can be saved, I don't care who he is. Just tell me where he is."

At those words, Jeon-hun chuckled.

"If he's going to die of his own accord, there's no need to stop him. I'll tell you. Of course, I'll tell you. It would be nice to tell you for free, as travel money for the road to death, but a captain who should be a model to others can't do that. How much will you pay?"

Then Hyun-woon said in a cold voice.

"I've already paid the price."

"With what?"

"Your life!"

He could have killed him at the moment he won the match, but he didn't, meaning Jeon-hun owed him his life. Jeon-hun shrugged.

"Oh dear! Even the rigid Taoist of the Wudang Sect has learned to bargain a little. I lost. I'll teach you."

Since the transaction was based on thoroughness, Jeon-hun told him the location of the Four Divisions without any concealment.

"This Macheongak is surrounded by three walls. The outermost wall is the Purple Bamboo Wall, made of purple bamboo, which you saw when you arrived by boat. Next is the Macheong Outer Wall, built of stone. The last is the Macheong Inner Wall. The Macheong Inner Wall can be considered the final line of defense surrounding the 'Macheong Tower.' Since the Four Divisions are medical facilities, they are located relatively deep inside, just outside the Macheong Inner Wall. So, to get there, you would have to pass through one of the Macheong Outer Wall gates on the east and north sides of the island. Of course, you shouldn't expect the path to be pleasant and smooth."

"……"

Hyun-woon's expression remained grim throughout the story, but he seemed to have made up his mind, and he looked up at Jeon-hun.

"Thank you for the detailed information."

Jeon-hun shrugged at the unexpected thanks.

"What is it? It's cheap compared to the price of my life. Of course, this is all assuming you can safely reach that place with the injured woman."

"Of course, I am prepared for that."

"Well, then go. Nothing will happen if you linger here."

And Jeon-hun added that the gatekeepers of the outer wall might have been replaced by stronger ones since it was an emergency. But even if Death himself guarded it, Hyun-woon had no intention of backing down.

"I will arrive no matter what. And… I will definitely save Sansan, even if it costs me my life!"

* * *

"So, you're saying there's no hope unless we're taken to that… Bulak Guchuk, the commander of the Four Divisions?"

Instead of answering Moyonghwi's question, Hyun-woon nodded briefly. He didn't know what awaited them there, but for now, just reaching that place was enough to keep him busy.

Moyonghwi nodded as if he had no more to think about.

"Understood. Then we will clear the way."

For this upright young man, watching his 동문 die before his eyes was unthinkable.

"That's right. We'll lead the way, senior."

Gongsonjeolhwi nodded in agreement, following Moyonghwi.

"Thank you. With you helping, it's like gaining a thousand soldiers."

Given that Gongsonjeolhwi was still a young novice, and Moyonghwi, the Seven-Cut Divine Sword, who had heard countless times that the grandson of a genius is a genius, there could be no more reliable ally.

Just then.

"Wait!"

*Swaaaaaaaeek!*

At that moment, a huge crescent-shaped sword energy flew from somewhere and bisected the area where the four people were gathered. Leaving a long, massive scar on the ground. The crescent sword energy sliced through the ground and only stopped its charge after diagonally splitting a nearby mature tree in two.

"Who is it?"

*Clang!* Gongsonjeolhwi, drawing his sword, looked around and shouted. By then, Hyun-woon and Moyonghwi were also ready for battle.

"Jingongin (True Void Blade)?"

Moyonghwi muttered, looking at the scar left by the crescent that had just threatened them.

"Hahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!"

*Awoooooooo!*

The azure wolf's roar, which vibrated the air, violently resonated in the eardrums of the three. They had to cover their ears from the roar that made their stomachs churn and their heads feel like they would split open just by hearing it.

At that moment, a giant blue figure fell from a nearby building towards where they were.

"You recognize Jingongin, you have a good eye!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's face contorted as he looked at the blue figure at the unfamiliar voice.

"Wh-what is that!"

He felt like shouting, 'Why is something like that here?'

Surprisingly, it was a giant wolf with blue fur. However, if it were just a regular wolf, they wouldn't be so surprised. This blue wolf was at least three times the size of a normal wolf. It was abnormally large, able to look down at humans.

"Allow me to introduce my foster brother, 'Azure Wolf Fang' (Cang Lang Ya). Say hello to your friends who will send you to hell."

With a deep voice, a man in his late thirties jumped off the blue wolf. His unkempt hair had a blue tinge, like the fur of the wolf Cang Lang Ya. He wore something akin to iron armor on both hands, each with three large blades glowing bluish, folded towards his elbow. They looked like giant claws for tearing prey.

He wore a whole blue wolf hide on his left shoulder, with the wolf's head protruding. The appearance was strangely natural, making the wolf's head look like another head. What was more peculiar was the old, thick book he held in his hand, which didn't look like a martial arts manual.

"Who are you!"

Gongsonjeolhwi shouted. At his cry, the man wearing the wolf hide gave a slightly exasperated look.

"Hoho, well! Children these days really have no manners. Before asking for someone's name, you should say your own. Well, but I'll make an exception this time. Because it's a precious experimental material I've obtained after a long time."

"Experiment? What is that guy talking about?"

Hyun-woon muttered, but no one among the group could answer.

"I am the commander of the Azure Wolf Troop of Macheong Thirteen, the Azure Wolf 'Cang Lang' (Azure Wolf). I am the king of the wolves who will send you to hell. You'd better remember that. When you meet the King of Hell, you should know who sent you there. Right, Cang Lang Ya?"

*Grrrrrr.*

The giant blue wolf replied with a growl.

'So he's the leader of these wolves…'

This was the first time they had faced a true commander-level opponent, not just a student from Macheong. Indeed, the presence of a commander was different.

"Ah, before I catch you, I have something to say. Please listen carefully."

"What is it?"

Moyonghwi asked on behalf of the group.

"Well, it's nothing special. Don't surrender easily."

"Huh?"

What kind of joke was that? Usually, one would say, 'You are surrounded. Surrender immediately!'

"I mean it. Resist as much as you can. I can't afford to waste this rare opportunity for real combat. I ask for your determined struggle until the very end."

Simply put, he meant that he would not accept surrender, so they should fight to the death.

"Do you like formation arts (Jinbeop)?"

Cang Lang, stroking the mane of the giant wolf 'Cang Lang Ya,' asked abruptly. Perhaps confident in his overwhelming superiority, his voice was very calm and leisurely.

"Formation arts?"

Moyonghwi replied, surveying his surroundings.

"Yes, formation arts. You haven't not learned them, have you?"

"I rather like them."

"Oh? What was your rank?"

"Heaven (Tian) grade."

"Wheeeeee~ That's amazing."

In the curriculum of Cheonmu Academy, formation arts were a mandatory subject on how to maneuver in a one-against-many situation. However, it involved heavenly studies, geography, yin-yang and five elements, hexagrams, and most importantly, mind-boggling arithmetic, making it the most avoided subject by heavenly scholars and the most notorious for producing the most failures.

Everyone had talent in martial arts, so while they could somehow pass practical exams like 'Multi-person Combined Attack Formation Arts,' where they attacked in formation together, most of them failed miserably when it came to breaking formations with their brains or deducing and completing incomplete formations. It was also infamous for being the subject that heavenly scholars grudgingly took remedial lessons for most often. To have received the highest grade, 'Heaven' grade, in such a subject was precisely why Moyonghwi was called a genius. But what did formation arts have to do with this wild-looking man?

"Even if I look like this, I also love formation arts. And I like students who are good at formation arts."

The ones who explored these mind-boggling formation arts were usually descendants of the Zhuge family or the Sima family, who were confident in their brains, and they were all learned scholars who had read many books. But this man…

Then, as if reading Moyonghwi's mind, Cang Lang smiled wickedly.

"Why? Can't a barbarian like me like something as troublesome as formation arts?"

*Thump!* Moyonghwi had no answer. It was an admission that he had judged the man by his appearance.

"Formation arts are profound. And beautiful. They contain the laws of nature."

"Yes. I think so too."

It wasn't for nothing that heavenly studies, geography, and arithmetic were reflected in them. Seeing that the man had grasped the profound principles of formation arts, Moyonghwi could not help but look at Cang Lang anew.

"Indeed, they are beautiful. A beautiful technique where the majority crushes the minority by combining their strength. It contains the precious lesson of the law of the jungle that the individual can never defeat the collective."

Moyonghwi almost tripped. It seemed there was a vast difference between his thinking and Cang Lang's.

"You'll learn it whether you like it or not. After you've been severely defeated by ignoring formation arts. That's why I decided. I will definitely break that formation. With a formation I created."

The more he spoke, the more oppressive the aura surrounding them became.

"What do you think is the most famous formation art in this martial arts world?"

"Well, of course, it's the Shaolin's Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation…"

Then Moyonghwi looked at Cang Lang with a surprised expression.

"Yes, the formation that defeated me was that Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation. The formation I must break is also that Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation. That's why I'm grateful to you. For coming all the way to this boring Macheongak."

It was then that Moyonghwi realized Cang Lang's true identity and hidden past.

"You are… the Wolf Killer!"

*Smirk.* As if to confirm it, a smile spread across the man's lips.

*Click!*

At that moment, Cang Lang snapped his fingers, and a long azure wolf howl erupted from his mouth. Then, as if in response to the howl, wolf howls echoed from all directions in unison.

"Hey, everyone! Activate the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation!"

* * *

Nine years ago, a man suddenly appeared in Henan with a giant blue wolf. People called him the 'Demon Wolf Killer' (Moranggaek) because he traveled with a devil-like wolf. Another nickname attached to him was 'One Night, One Sect Fallen' (Irya Pa-ilmun), meaning he would bring down one sect each night. He was a sort of sect destroyer. Confident in his skills, he arrogantly chose Henan, where the Shaolin Temple was located. And then, he sealed off seven sects in a week, one sect per day.

He did not commit indiscriminate murder, but since the survival of the sects was at stake, casualties were inevitable as the disciples of each sect fought desperately.

The seven sects he destroyed had a common characteristic: they were all founded by lay disciples of Shaolin. At that, the martial arts world was shocked. In fact, the Demon Wolf Killer's target was not these minor sects. His target from the beginning was the Shaolin Temple, renowned as the pillar of the martial arts world.

Shaolin first sent the Eighteen Arhats. They thought that number would be enough to capture one wicked culprit.

As widely known, the greatest strength of the Eighteen Arhats was the Eighteen Arhat Formation, performed simultaneously by eighteen people. While the strength of a single Arhat did not reach that of a peak master, with eighteen Arhats gathered, those at the level of peak masters could never defeat them. But what about those beyond that level, the ultimate masters?

The Demon Wolf Killer provided the answer.

"Hahahaha! Shaolin's Arhat Formation is nothing special. Eighteen is not enough. Why don't you go and call more, huh?"

News that the Eighteen Arhat Formation was broken by a wandering warrior not even in his thirties shook not only Shaolin but the entire martial arts world. The name Demon Wolf Killer instantly spread throughout the martial arts world. If this continued, Shaolin's reputation would inevitably fall. Shaolin finally permitted the activation of the Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation after decades. And in a plain in Henan province, the Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation clashed with a single warrior.

The true strength of Shaolin, the pillar and spiritual backbone of the martial arts world, the last bastion, was the Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation. No matter how skilled the Demon Wolf Killer was, he could not withstand the continuous, ever-changing onslaught of the Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation. He resisted, but eventually knelt down. When he lost all will to fight after defeat was evident, the Shaolin monks tried to apprehend him. They intended to hold him accountable for his crimes in Henan. Finally, the formation stopped.

At that moment, an anomaly occurred. The wolf Cang Lang Ya, who was outside the encirclement, rushed in with terrifying ferocity the moment the formation stopped, and due to the surprise of the monks, a minute crack appeared in the formation. The Demon Wolf Killer, not missing this opportunity, managed to escape.

From then on, the Demon Wolf Killer disappeared from the martial arts world, and no one has seen him since.

'I can't believe that Demon Wolf Killer was working as a teacher for the dark side's talents at Macheongak…'

It was truly astonishing.

"Back then, I was saved by my foster brother. But the fact that I lost miserably remains."

He said, stroking Cang Lang Ya's blue mane with his hand.

It was true. Back then, he was nothing more than a wolf, no, a dog, that had turned tail and fled. The wound to his pride from that time still remained as a deep scar in his heart. A scar that would never be erased. This throbbing pain would not disappear until he broke the Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation himself.

"For the past few years, I've been thinking. Why did I lose? Thinking is not something I'm very used to. But I had no choice. I lost. If I didn't know why, I would continue to lose. And I reached a conclusion. A solitary wolf…"

A sneer appeared on Cang Lang's lips.

"…is nothing more than a fleeting illusion. That such a thing does not exist. The time when a wolf is strongest is when it forms a 'pack'."

"……"

Moyonghwi and his group could not utter a single word in response. Cang Lang scanned the group one by one, a smile on his lips.

"Do you know that a wolf pack is itself a single organism? And that organism never stops until it catches its prey."

*Clank!*

The three blades folded in his hands were unfolded. They looked like giant, sharp silver claws.

*Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeng!*

The silver blades on both hands rubbed against each other, sparks of blue flames flying.

These were the 'Azure Wolf Silver Fang Claws' (Cang Lang Yin Ya Zhao), the unique weapons of the notorious Demon Wolf Killer of the past.

"No one who has seen the fangs of the blue wolf has ever survived! Prepare yourselves!"

"Wasn't that the white wolf?"

That was a phrase famously used by the legendary master 'White Wolf' of the past.

"Silence! The era of white has passed. The era is blue! Prepare yourselves!"

*Awoooooooo!*

A howl, like that of a pack leader, erupted from Cang Lang's mouth.

"Wolves! It's time to start the hunt!"

At the same time, human wolves, who had appeared from all directions, responded by raising their wolf fangs.

"Open Formation!"

Finally, the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation by fifty-four members of the Azure Wolf Troop was activated.

*Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!*

Sharp wolf fangs whirled towards Moyonghwi and his group. They charged like ferocious wolves, then quickly retreated. Then, other members immediately took their place and attacked. The relentless, continuous attacks forced the group to focus only on defense. There was no room for grand techniques. If they tried to broaden their movement range even slightly, they would have to return to their original positions.

"Something is strange."

Moyonghwi said, tilting his head after being subjected to the wave of attacks from the human wolves of the Azure Wolf Troop for a long time.

"What's strange?"

"I've been looking for the 'Life Gate' (Sheng Men) since a while ago… but I can't find it anywhere."

Hearing those words, Hyun-woon's face turned pale.

"How can that be! Is this formation art so intricate and profound? This formation?"

The Life Gate is the only way to escape a formation. It refers to the space that must be left open to move the formation. Therefore, the more brilliant the formation, the more frequently the position of the Life Gate is changed to make it difficult to find. However, Moyonghwi shook his head at Hyun-woon's astonishment.

"No. It's the opposite. This formation has no rules. It is not based on heavenly studies, geography, yin-yang and five elements, or mathematics."

"You mean… a brute force formation?!"

Hyun-woon, who had been astonished, asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, that's right."

In other words, it was an extremely ignorant formation. Gongsonjeolhwi, who had been bewildered, asked with an even more incredulous expression.

"That guy, he sounded like he studied formation arts very diligently earlier… Is that thick book he's holding not about formation arts either?"

"Well. At least the weight of the book he's holding doesn't indicate his intellect."

Moyonghwi felt like a fool for thinking for even a moment that 'you can't judge a book by its cover.' Gongsonjeolhwi's face lit up.

"Then it will be easy to break through, won't it?"

"I wish it were… but."

Moyonghwi's expression darkened.

"Why?"

Not that it was bragging, but Hyun-woon's score in 'Understanding Formation Arts' wasn't very good either. That's why, despite being his senior, he had to rely on Moyonghwi. Moreover, his top priority now was Sansan's safety, and for that, he couldn't afford to be picky.

"The absence of rules means that even if we break the rules, this formation won't collapse. The problem is that there are no rules to break."

Hyun-woon understood what Moyonghwi was trying to say.

"Are you saying… to break a stupid formation, we have to use stupid methods too?"

"Exactly, senior. We have no choice but to break it with brute force."

Deceived!

Although Cang Lang spoke as if he were a master of formation arts, this Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation was merely a group attack. However, there was something strange. When a group attacks a few, the number of people who can actually attack is limited, so their hands and feet naturally get tangled. Applying formation arts to multi-person combined attacks was also to minimize such confusion. But these people were not like that.

"How! Even though fifty-four people are moving simultaneously, they don't get tangled…"

Moyonghwi groaned as he defended against the continuous onslaught. If there were no rules, chaos should naturally occur. But then, where did this flawless coordination come from?

"Kuhahahaha! Curious? You seem curious. Alright, then I'll tell you."

Cang Lang, who was orchestrating the formation, burst into laughter. He seemed eager to brag about the formation he had created.

"This is the power of organization. A wolf pack is a single organism because of it! An individual is merely a component for the organization. Only an organization with a unified spirit can exert such powerful force! Now, bite! Bite! Keep biting! Show the strength of the wolf pack!"

As Cang Lang shouted with excitement, the offensive became increasingly fierce. As he asserted, the Azure Wolf Troop moved like a single giant wolf. This wolf was waiting for them to tire out. Its vicious fangs gleaming. However, Hyun-woon knew. If his senior disciple were here, what would he say?

"Your words have some truth. But if my senior disciple were here, he would say this."

"What would he say?"

"'What good is a pile of trash, even if you gather it?'"

Moyonghwi nodded at those words.

"I admit that humans need to form groups. You can't live alone, can you? It's also troublesome. But I don't want my mind to be contaminated by the stupidity of the majority. Humans have a habit of becoming equally stupid when they belong to a group with fools in it. The majority forget themselves like stubborn fools. They become mere shells who only know how to dance like puppets their whole lives."

Bilyeon was the type who believed that enduring the stupidity of those around him was extremely detrimental to mental health. And he was the kind of person who would rather break the legs of his disciples than see them dance like puppets mixed in with the crowd.

However, those words seemed to have greatly offended Cang Lang.

At Hyun-woon's words, Cang Lang's eyebrows twitched, and he, who had been relaxed until then, frowned.

"Hehehe, then I'll show you the power of those united pieces of trash. The fearfulness of an organization."

A cruel smile formed on Cang Lang's lips as he watched the three, who were getting increasingly tired.

"Well, the herding is almost over, everyone! Take out your second fangs!"

The human wolves simultaneously drew out the wolf fangs attached to their left hands.

*Chara-rak!*

Then, chains followed.

*Bung bung bung bung!*

As the chains were spun, the wolf fangs rotated with a sound of cutting through the wind.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation

Second Wave

Wolf Fang Shards

The fiercely rotating wolf fangs were unleashed towards Hyun-woon and his companions. It felt like a net of chains falling from the sky to cover them all at once. Hyun-woon, Moyonghwi, and Gongsonjeolhwi swung their swords to parry the flying chains, but the chains wrapped around their swords like snakes, attacking.

The three quickly retracted their swords and retreated a step. Then, the Azure Wolf Troop seemed to be retrieving their wolf fangs, but before they could be fully retrieved, the second attack began. They started attacking in turns.

Hyun-woon became anxious. Already at a disadvantage, the chains also significantly widened the gap between attacks, so they would simply collapse from exhaustion at this rate. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to save Sansan.

"This will never end. Hey, Hwi."

"Yes, senior."

"I'll create space for you to move. Counterattack in that gap. We need to find a breakthrough before my Inner Energy runs out."

"…Senior, you know very well what that means, don't you? It means you'll have to face the enemy attacks that are currently divided between two people, all by yourself."

At that moment, a voice interjected.

"You're not alone."

"Ah, yes, you're right. My apologies."

Moyonghwi had forgotten that Gongsonjeolhwi was also there.

"Don't worry, both of you. It's not for nothing that I suffered for three years being egged on."

"Egged on?"

As Moyonghwi started to ask, Hyun-woon spoke telepathically.

"Are you going to do it or not?"

"Of course."

The longer they delayed, the more dangerous Sansan's life became. They had no choice but to take a risk and overcome this difficult situation.

"Alright, here it comes. Get ready."

Hyun-woon switched his sword stance from defensive to offensive. Then, he gathered his energy.

'Only one chance!'

Moyonghwi thought. Being completely surrounded, small techniques wouldn't be enough to break through. At least it would require the ultimate technique of the Galaxy Flow, the 'Opening Sword'…

However, that technique had the drawback of taking too much time to prepare. It was proof that he had not yet fully mastered it.

'Regardless, I can't back down here.'

Moyonghwi began to quickly gather his True Energy.

*Chara-rak!*

Once again, the chain-equipped wolf fangs flew from all directions, aiming to tear Moyonghwi apart.

"Not so fast!"

Hyun-woon blocked Moyonghwi's path and began to draw a circle with his sword.

*Srrrrrrrek!*

Hyun-woon's sword created multiple circles, building a wall against the attackers from all directions. Then, the leaping wolf fangs began to twist and miss their targets.

"Huh?"

The Azure Wolf Troop members, who had not made any physical contact with the opponent, were greatly flustered to see their wolf fangs missing.

Wudang (武當) Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍)

Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Wind Blade Wall (風刃壁)

*Zzizzizzizzizzizz!*

As the ultimate technique of the Wudang sect's supreme art, Tai Chi Wisdom Sword, was unleashed from Hyun-woon's body, the attacks aimed at the four people were deflected in all directions. They were deflected by the invisible sword aura swirling around the tip of Hyun-woon's sword. It was as if he was unleashing peak Hwajing on more than a dozen people simultaneously.

This was similar to the method he used to instantly deflect dozens of trajectory lines of Gang Qi in his fight with Namhaewang Jeon-hun. While the Wind Blade Slash used against Jeon-hun was a technique to counterattack by converting defensive power, Wind Blade Wall was a technique to solidify defense even further. If it became even stronger, it could even make the attackers attack each other through the art of misdirection, but Hyun-woon had only just awakened this ultimate technique, so it was too much to ask for that.

However, despite that, this move had an unparalleled defensive utility.

"Hoho, an interesting technique. Did the Wudang Sect have such a move?"

Cang Lang seemed slightly curious about Hyun-woon's technique. But there was no time for such leisure. Blazing Sword Qi converged at the tip of Moyonghwi's sword, and it began to emit a sharp sword hum, 'Uwoooooong!'

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍)

Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Star Tremor (銀河星振)

Innumerable starlight shot out from the tip of Moyonghwi's sword in a fan shape. Screams erupted from various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"We did it! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi exclaimed with amazement. However, before they knew it, the hole that had been punched was filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Clank!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Hungry Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if they were repairing their wounds simultaneously, like a single monstrous creature.

"You've blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.

"You are indeed formidable. It's a shame to kill you. But even if the numbers doubled, could you stop it?"

Without a moment's rest, ninety-six void blades rained down from all directions. There was nowhere to escape.

'Sansan is in danger!'

Hyun-woon cried out in his mind.

If they failed to properly defend against this storm of void blades, their bodies would be torn to shreds. At that moment of desperate crisis, Hyun-woon, instinctively thinking of Sansan's safety before his own, shouted and swung his sword without hesitation.

"Impossible!"

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

With this power that bends wind and rain!

Hyun-woon's sword created a vortex of Hwajing, incomparable to anything he had unleashed before. Its scale was the largest of all the scales he had unleashed so far.

There was just one problem: its duration.

"Senior, I will help too!"

Gongsonjeolhwi placed his palm on Hyun-woon's side. To supplement Hyun-woon's depleted Inner Energy. Having consumed all sorts of precious herbs for the revival of the Gongson family and even received a portion of Inner Energy from the family elders, his Inner Energy was more substantial than expected. He just hadn't utilized the benefits he had received properly yet.

"Good, let's do it!"

What would happen if the power to bend the surrounding wind and rain became most intense?

The power of Tai Chi is rotation, and rotation is circular motion.

Those who have not awakened the power of circles and rotation have no right to even hear the name of Tai Chi Wisdom Sword.

Tai Chi Wisdom Sword (太極慧劍) Eight Achievements (八成) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wind and Rain Bend (風雨彎曲)

Third Meaning (第三意)

Gale Whirlwind (疾風廻廻)

Hyun-woon's will began to twist and rotate the air.

The axis was his sword.

At first, it was a weak rotation. But the faster it rotated, the stronger and faster the rotational force became. Eventually, it turned into a gale that engulfed all directions.

Caught in that immense kinetic force, the Azure Wolf Troop was thrown into confusion. It was difficult to properly unleash Jingongin in unstable air.

For a moment, the 'Six Flashes' stopped.

Moyonghwi did not miss that moment. He had been doing nothing while Hyun-woon unleashed his ultimate technique, precisely for this moment.

'Now is the time!'

Where the dust had cleared, a dark sphere had formed at the tip of Moyonghwi's left-hand sword-fingers. And his sword was pointed backward, as if about to pierce the sphere.

Hyun-woon remembered seeing this technique in the finals of the Samsung Mujae competition. It was the same technique that had matched Qingheun, called the genius of Wudang.

Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Opening Sword (開闢劍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Galaxy Annihilation (銀河滅滅)

Meteor Shower (流星雨) Umbrella Screen (傘幕)

Moyonghwi aimed the dark sphere towards the sky and leaped upward. Then, he pierced the shining sword body into the dark sphere, breaking through the heavens.

*Hwaaaaaaaaak!*

Fragments of Sword Qi rained down in a circle, spreading in all directions. Screams erupted in various places, and holes were punched through the formation.

"It's done! A path has been opened there!"

Gongsonjeolhwi's exclamation burst out. However, before long, the holes that had been punched were filled by Azure Wolf Troop members who had flown in from the surroundings. It was as if a single monstrous creature was repairing its wounds simultaneously.

"You blocked the second wave of the Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation. Congratulations. I didn't expect you to be able to punch a hole… But with that much capability, you cannot break this formation. It's not a formation so weak that it can be broken by the strength of an individual. We still have to play a bit longer. Otherwise, how can we confirm if the formation is exerting its full power?"

"You mean to say, try harder?"

"Yes, exactly. Until now, it was merely a phase of 'wearing them down.' Now, everyone! Let's start the real hunt! Let's sink the wolf's fangs into the prey's leash!"

*Awoooooooo!*

Wolf howls erupted from all sides simultaneously.

*Chalk!* With a metallic sound, the wolf fangs worn by the human wolves grew longer.

"Now, bite down tightly, gentlemen! So that your bodies are not torn apart."

He then gave the signal.

"Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave! Deploy the True Void Formation!"

As Cang Lang shouted, the wolf fangs surrounding them began to glow blue.

Azure Wolf Annihilation Formation, Third Wave

Starving Wolf Destruction Formation (餓狼破滅陳)

Full Deployment (全開)

With wolf howls, wolf fangs tore through the air. Clearly visible crescent-shaped, three-bladed sword winds rained down from all directions.

*Chaaaaaaak!*

The trees, grass, and ground touched by the three-bladed sword winds were torn apart. Moyonghwi was startled by the flurry of sword winds flying towards them from all directions.

"N-no way! Jingongin (True Void Blade)?!"

Jingongin is a technique where one swings their sword at such high speed that it creates a void blade in the air. Usually, a single crescent-shaped Jingongin is generated per blade, but since their wolf fangs had three blades per hand, they could generate a total of six Jingongins at once. That's why it was called,

Six Flashes (六閃)

This was simultaneously unleashed as forty-eight void blades by the eight people surrounding them.

The Azure Wolf Troop widened their encirclement and shot void blades from all directions. The terrifying aspect of this formation was that it could attack from a distance without approaching the enemy.

"Haaap!"

Moyonghwi swung his sword, which flashed with white light, and offset the incoming void blades. Simple sword strokes could not block the void blades. They would pierce right through them. Only void blades could offset void blades.

Galaxy Flow Meteor Sword Style (銀河流星劍法)

Meteor Sword Wind Blade (流星劍風刃)

While they generated six Jingongins per person, Moyonghwi swung his sword dozens of times in the blink of an eye, sequentially offsetting the incoming void blades.