Chapter 101 – Trial of the Movie Spirit Fire (7)

“Ohnya! If you want to go to the Buddha’s embrace so badly, then it’s only right for me to send you there.”

Without any warning, the grotesque creature guarding the temple suddenly closed the distance between us, resembling the Four Heavenly Kings or Vajrapani.

The Vajra Body of Adamantine Truth.

It was like watching Sollim’s ritual at a higher level than when I first saw it at the Yongbong Assembly.

The creature… was strong.

Aside from the invincible god of martial arts, Shin Muryeong, it was probably the strongest among the remnants of the Muryeong clan. Naturally, it was stronger than me.

In fact, the creature was the second person who killed me the most. The first was Muryeong.

However, its weakness was clear. As a madman who believed that he was leading the way to salvation even at the end of his life, he had a considerable pride in Sollim Temple.

This pride continued into his martial arts, resulting in a monotony of repeating predetermined moves.

As someone who had experienced all the martial arts used by the creature through multiple deaths, it was a real relief to know this weakness.

Thanks to this, I was able to avoid all of the creature’s attacks at some point. Even if the attacks were fast and powerful, I could easily avoid them if I knew where they were coming from.

“Amitabha…!”

I dodged the straight punch that came with the flame, with minimal movement. The follow-up moves were the same.

Once again, none of the creature’s attacks hit me.

“This rat bastard!”

I tried a somewhat unconventional attack using the Vajra Body of Adamantine Truth… but what was the point? The distance changed, but the attack itself remained the same.

Moreover, the application method was the same as before.

Move one step ahead of the creature’s movement, and what touches my body is only the wind it creates.

It looked like I was dominating the creature with an overwhelming gap.

Of course, in reality, while the creature’s attacks did not hit me, my attacks could not penetrate its body, so I could only confront it.

There is an external martial art called the Vajra Body of Adamantine Truth. Sollim Temple boasts of this martial art, which, when mastered, can even block sword qi, let alone sword strength.

I don’t know if the creature has mastered it, but it’s true that its body is tough enough to withstand my sword qi attacks.

If it were a solid blow like Mount Tai crushing a pestle, I could somehow manage it. However, powerful attacks require a reasonable preparation time, and the creature’s Vajra Body of Adamantine Truth will not let me do that.

So I haven’t tried to kill the creature yet. Since I had no intention of allowing it to attack me anyway, it wasn’t dangerous.

But now, I have no choice.

Chapter 102 – Trial of the Movie Spirit Fire (8)

I vowed to kill all the villains here.

Only then can I escape from this hell and return to where Hong Yeon-hwa and Peng Sosu are.

The time has come to cut down the tough body that I have been avoiding until now.

I can’t use Mount Tai crushing a pestle. So where can I get the power? Even if I put a little force, the sword won’t penetrate the tough muscles.

If I could use something like an internal martial art that shakes the inside, I would have tried it, but I don’t know how to do that.

I continued to dodge the monster’s attacks and thought. What do I need to cut what I can’t cut?

The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, more power.

The stronger power that made my physical abilities inflated by Muryeong’s martial arts and allowed me to crush my opponents with my inner strength is what makes the impossible possible.

But it’s not a method I can use right now.

Since my inner strength has evaporated, I can’t exert an overwhelming force like before.

If I can’t increase my strength, can’t I make the sword sharper?

This is also impossible. It makes sense logically, but I can’t sharpen the sword on a whetstone right now, and even if I did, I don’t think I could cut the monster’s body just because I sharpened it.

Why do the swordsmen worship the sword so much? Hardness is important, but the biggest reason is that it allows you to cut what you can’t cut.

Of course, I can’t suddenly use sword qi, so this is not a realistic method either.

Then what about the next level, the Sword Flame?

The level I reached at the Yongbong Assembly. I’m still holding the sword of Sim Sang, so can’t I do something?

I tried to force my inner strength into the sword, but I couldn’t get the result I wanted.

The sword qi became a little clearer, but it was only at the level of smoke from a fire. This is not enough.

Is there really no way?

If it’s just a way to kill, there is one. If I push the monster off the cliff, it will die.

It’s not just a matter of whether I can push a stronger opponent than me, but also the problem of luring it there, which takes a considerable amount of time.

If the time limit passes, the Divine Martial Prince Shin Muryeong will arrive where I am.

Even if I fight one-on-one, I can’t be sure of victory against an opponent who is much stronger than me. How can I win against both the monster and the Divine Martial Prince at the same time?

That’s impossible. In the end, killing the monster here is the only way out, but how can I do that…

…Suddenly, I realized that I was relying too much on sword qi.

Even the most exceptional sword can’t cut properly if wielded by an unskilled person, while a mediocre sword can cut through even a thick log if wielded by a skilled swordsman.

The difference between the two is skill.

For example, the tremble at the tip of the sword, the way you put strength into your arm, the optimal angle, and so on.

Only when various conditions are met can an ordinary sword cut through a log.

I thought it was impossible for someone like me without exceptional talent… but now?

Is it really impossible even now?

The answer came to me shortly.

It’s worth a try.

I opened my eyes and observed every movement of the monster.

The herbivores and predators that I have already completely seen through and become familiar with.

How they stretch their legs, how they clench their fists, and how they strike while drawing a line.

And how to cut them down.

The answer was in the memories I have accumulated so far, and as I realized it, my body moved on its own as if possessed.

The right hand’s chop, like a snake biting its tail. The left hand’s power always followed.

A fist that approached in a straight line like a spear. Golden aura wrapped around it.

I brought my sword towards the strike that could shatter even a huge rock. I didn’t swing it. I just extended it forward.

But at an accurate angle.

Swoosh.

There was almost no sound. Even the result was not quiet.

“Kraaaak!!”

The monster screamed as if the world was about to collapse.

As there was no one to consider as an ally, the One-Inch Sect disciples who had been watching from a distance for fear of being caught up in the fight all covered their ears with a scream that made them do so.

His left arm was cut off, so the pain must be unbearable. He had never suffered such a big wound since he became that kind of monster.

“How… how did you…!”

He was already full of pride in his martial arts. He asked me with his eyes wide open, not knowing that his external martial arts could be so easily penetrated.

Of course, I don’t need to answer him.

I approached him without saying a word, and he realized that I had no intention of answering him, so he snarled.

“You… die!”

A whip-like swing with his intact right arm. I raised my sword again towards the threatening arc.

This time, I didn’t just bring it forward, but drew a line lightly. Of course, the position was his elbow.

If I use the monster’s strength, which is more than enough, all I have to do is prevent the tip of the sword from trembling. My job is not to exert great force, but to keep the sword steady.

The Lingering Spirit Martial Arts, which reproduces the ideal movements from my memories, so much so that they are ingrained in my mind.

The result of these two meeting was something I couldn’t believe, even though I was the one who did it.

Snap.

The right arm of the monster fell far away due to inertia.

It was so light that it was hard to believe that it was the arm of a human, let alone the arm of an external martial arts master whose sword couldn’t even penetrate.

The most surprised one was, of course, the monster. He looked at me with a face full of questions rather than pain.

“Not once, but twice… How did you penetrate the martial arts of the Sohrim…?”

“It’s simple.”

I slowly took my stance, looking at the guy who was either unable or unwilling to resist, with his legs spread shoulder-width apart and the black sword slightly above the center.

I chuckled as I took the proper stance for the most powerful herbivorous mountain crusher I could do, just like I did when I met his eyes.

“Well, do your best.”

Crack!

The falling sword struck the monster’s head.

It seemed to prove how tough his body was, as it shattered instead of being cut, but whatever.

In any case, he was finished.

The top-notch martial artists around me were no longer a threat.

Some of them were simply too weak, but others were frozen or sneaking away, probably because they saw me earlier.

But I’m not going to let them off the hook.

Now, there’s only one left, the Divine Martial Arts Prince.

But I’m not going to the left. I have to take down the small fries that are getting in the way while he’s coming back.

“Phew…”

I corrected my scattered thoughts from the continuous battles. It alone gave vitality to my tired body.

I have enough stamina and inner strength. The accumulated phantom pain is terrible, but I’m used to it now.

I’m almost there.

I can still fight.