Chapter 308 – Blood Demon (2)

Hong Yeon-hwa’s Cheonma Jaerim was undoubtedly powerful.

With a single punch, the lump of gangqi that was Gang-gi shattered and exploded.

But the problem was that the Blood Demon had been preparing for this moment for a very long time.

Using his immense blood energy, he had withstood Hong Yeon-hwa’s attack with his huge size and grotesque regenerative abilities.

The technique he used, even when he showed his weakness, was truly remarkable.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Even though Hong Yeon-hwa’s demon was raging and destroying everything around her, the crimson chains created by the Blood Demon remained intact.

Not only did they not break, but they also tightened even more, causing Hong Yeon-hwa’s movements to become sluggish.

It seems like it’s time for me to intervene in this monster battle.

“Myeongwoljinin! Help me!”

“Got it! You guys step back for a moment!”

I ran with the only Hwagyeong-class Myeongwoljinin to where Hong Yeon-hwa was.

The huge lumps of gangqi that were getting closer in an instant.

It’s hard to inflate the sword like this, and it’s all gangqi… No wonder my sword feels so pathetic like a toothpick.

But even so, my sword is also gangqi. It’s enough to help Hong Yeon-hwa.

“Haah!”

A bright white starlight cuts through the air, aiming only for the thick chains around my body.

There’s no need to cut them all. Just a scratch is enough to break them and not withstand Hong Yeon-hwa’s power inside.

I focused only on cutting them with all my might. And…

Swoosh.

One chain was cut off entirely.

“…Huh?”

For a moment, I was stunned by what was happening. I looked towards Myeongwoljinin, who was in a similar situation to me, with a bewildered expression.

It was the Blood Demon who put an end to our confusion.

“Tsk. It seems like you haven’t inherited the Cheondung Swordsmanship… But still, your swordsmanship has improved. The matchup isn’t good.”

As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and a huge spear of blood fell from the ceiling.

While stretching my sword qi as long as possible to intercept the blood spear falling accurately towards me and Myeongwoljinin.

“Hup!”

Kwoooong!

Despite the chains clattering, Hong Yeon-hwa somehow managed to stretch her arm and shield me and Myeongwoljinin.

Although she was restrained, her power didn’t disappear. The blood spear shattered into pieces too easily.

The Blood Demon looked at Hong Yeon-hwa with a gaze that was even more fierce than before.

“Too bad. If the ritual had been completed more perfectly, it would have been the end of it.”

Upon hearing those words, Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to realize something and spoke calmly.

“Compatibility…I see. This technique was created solely to capture me?”

“Correct. By now, my daughter, you should hear the resentment of those who died unfairly.”

Myeongwoljinin’s eyes widened as if he had realized something.

“No way! By killing Togui…the ritual that is completed by reproducing the Jeongma War…!”

“The more I look at you, the more I realize what a great junior you are. Yes. The purified and even more toxic resentment can either harmonize with other resentments or make them sympathize with me.”

That’s why the chains that are wrapped around Hong Yeon-hwa contain the pain, resentment, despair, resignation, anger, and more of those who died on this land.

The problem is that they died in the Jeongma War, and they are in a situation where they are mistakenly targeting revenge due to the resentment that runs rampant in Taesan.

In other words, those who are called ma-ma are hoping for Hong Yeon-hwa’s destruction.

“Did you say you would shoulder all the ma? My daughter. As long as you call yourself a Cheonma, you cannot escape from those chains.”

Is this a special restraint for Hong Yeon-hwa? I think I know roughly what the principle is.

My state of mind is to protect my precious people.

That’s why when I fought the Blood Demon earlier, I was able to show a power that went beyond my limits, but I can’t fight my woman with all my strength.

Not only does the width of the enhancement of the Mu-ryeong Shin Gong become narrower, but the Gyeom-gang, which is essential for determination, also becomes significantly weaker.

The relationship between Hong Yeon-hwa and these chains is probably the same.

No, if Hong Yeon-hwa has reached a level where determination is embodied in every action, it might be worse.

Normally, if something is tied to one’s state of mind, one cannot exert one’s full strength.

That’s because the mind can change depending on the situation.

For example, originally, only Hong Yeon-hwa was in my state of mind, but now it seems like three other women are in there too.

If it’s Hong Yeon-hwa, she might be able to use all her power by considering those who vent their anger on the wrong person as another form of recklessness.

But blood energy is a celestial energy that specializes in causing things that cannot happen originally.

What I feared actually happened.

It’s really difficult to deal with.

What’s fortunate is that the technique is not perfect.

For one thing, we won’t be able to completely incapacitate Hong Yeon-hwa since we’ll notice and attack during the ritual. Plus, the chains are easily cut through.

Serk.

“It was just a passing comment, but the Blood Demon clearly said that he and I are not compatible with this technique.”

Of course. If something is not compatible with someone, it means it is compatible with someone else.

Perhaps it means that he can exert great power against a martial artist, but becomes weaker against a Jeongjong practitioner.

“Myeongwoljinin!”

“…I understand!”

With a short shout, Myeongwoljinin swung his sword, imbued with his characteristic clear energy.

“Huup!”

Clang!

With just a swing of his sword, the iron chains wrapped around Hong Yeon-hwa shattered into pieces with a loud metallic sound.

He had broken three of the chains that bound Hong Yeon-hwa. Just a little more…

“Tsk.”

The Blood Demon clicked his tongue, as if he had no intention of going easy on us, and flicked his finger while licking his lips.

I and Hong Yeon-hwa tensed up, wondering what was coming next, but nothing came flying at us. Instead…

Squelch.

The already ruined ground split open again, and the Togui burst out from the gap.

…And they were heading towards where the others were gathered.

“Myeongwoljinin! Please take care of that side!”

“What about Sohyeop?”

“I’ll finish cutting this!”

That’s right.

We can move around somehow now, but if we leave Hong Yeon-hwa like this, she will eventually fall prey to the Blood Demon.

Someone has to stay here and cut the chains.

However, the energy emanating from the Togui is not to be underestimated, so we cannot ignore them either.

The energy we feel is not from ordinary people who have been killed so far, but from real forces composed of Chojuljeong and Hwagyeong-class warriors.

If it were just Chojuljeong, I could handle them without any problems, but…the problem is the Hwagyeong-class Togui.

If one of us has to go, it’s better for Myeongwoljinin to go. While I may be stronger in terms of pure strength, Myeongwoljinin, as a martial artist, would be more efficient in dealing with the Togui.

Myeongwoljinin, who was hesitating for a moment, nodded his head as he realized that this was the best option.

“…Be careful.”

“You too, Myeongwoljinin.”

I replied with a wry smile as Myeongwoljinin moved away.

Yes. If someone says that someone has to face a Hwagyeong-class Togui, it means that someone has to face the Blood Demon’s Samduryukbi.

Kwaaaang!

The sound of the giant Samduryukbi hitting Hong Yeon-hwa’s weakened demon resounded.

As Hong Yeon-hwa staggered, countless blood needles shot up from the ground towards me.

If I allow even one of them, it will be fatal.

So I’ll block them all.

“Haahhh!”

Jingak didn’t step on the demon that Hong Yeon-hwa was riding on. Instead, he put more energy than usual into his sword and swung it widely in the direction of the Hwagyeong-class warriors.

Kwaaaa!

The sword, imbued with strong energy, whipped through the air like a storm.

The blood needles were sharp and numerous, but perhaps not as sturdy as they seemed.

All the blood needles in sight shattered like glass at the mere touch of the sword.

Taking advantage of the opening, Jingak kicked the demon’s side and quickly leaped towards the next chain.

But had he underestimated the Blood Demon’s bizarre sorcery?

The broken pieces of the blood needles suddenly gathered together, forming a crude shape that I couldn’t tell if it was a spear or a saw, and shot towards me.

Being defenseless in mid-air, it could have been a fatal blow.

“You!”

Hong Yeon-hwa, who realized this, quickly unfolded her energy shield.

Thanks to her, Kang-ho, who arrived just in time, blocked the spear/saw with his halberd, and it vanished into thin air.

Pewong!

It was a powerful blow.

But thanks to it, I was able to climb up near my elbow unharmed.

“Hup!”

He cut another chain.

Now there were seven chains left.

In the meantime, I looked at the crimson mucus floating around me, wondering if the Blood Demon had unleashed a new sorcery.

They weren’t that big. At best, they were on par with ordinary weapons.

I couldn’t pierce Hong Yeon-hwa’s demon with these little things, but I could kill one with ease.

Still, well…

“If you don’t hit me, it’s over! Yeon-hwa, help me!”

“Trust only me!”

Kuwong!

A solid presence that dominated the battlefield.

Although I blocked the Blood Demon’s Samduryukbi, Hong Yeon-hwa’s Cheonmajae-rim was still powerful.

The bloody mucus was crushed like a mosquito and slammed into the ground.

It was a disadvantageous situation, but not so much that I couldn’t handle it.

My energy…was still there.