Chapter 431

Chapter 431

Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Son Bi leaped over the ships with lightness skills, heading toward the ship where the evil faction masters were located.

Thunder Emperor Ga Mu-ru came out to the ship’s rail and stood with his great sword embedded there.

As the ship carrying Ga Mu-ru drew closer, Son Bi felt tremendous pressure. Ga Mu-ru appeared larger than the ship he was on. He wasn’t one of the Three Supremes of the martial world for nothing. The air became heavy, making breathing difficult.

With Ga Mu-ru’s ship before them, Taoist Master Bok-cheon blocked Son Bi with his arm and stopped.

“Stop.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon said with wide eyes, glaring ahead.

“Go further and you’ll be cut.”

SWOOOOSH!

As fierce currents flowed, Ga Mu-ru from the ship across leaned on his great sword and spoke in his characteristic low, rumbling voice.

“A disciple of Woo-am, I see.”

Though he didn’t speak loudly, it pierced through the river waves and could be heard clearly as if spoken directly into their ears.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon ignored Ga Mu-ru’s words and spoke dismissively.

“How dare you set foot in Sichuan with such wicked intentions. Have you wandered the frontier for so long that you’ve lost all fear?”

“How dare…”

Anger dwelt in Ga Mu-ru’s low voice.

“Even Woo-am did not use such words to me.”

FLASH!

The moment Ga Mu-ru drew the great sword that had been embedded in the ship’s rail, blue lightning flickered at its tip.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon slowly drew his sword, raising it toward the sky, and faced off from a distance.

The two ships were about fifty to sixty zhang apart.

However, tension flowed as if they were facing each other directly. Son Bi turned around to guard Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s back. Evil faction warriors emerged from the cabin, watching for opportunities to target Son Bi and Taoist Master Bok-cheon.

Ga Mu-ru muttered.

“Die by the Lightning Blade.”

Ga Mu-ru’s eyes flashed.

In the blink of an eye, Ga Mu-ru swung his great sword.

ZZZZZT!

Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy split the water and flew across the distance in an instant.

A beat later, Taoist Master Bok-cheon also brought down his sword.

Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy was vast and destructive. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy was narrow and solid.

The two forces collided in the middle.

CRASH!

With a sound like space tearing, the blade energy and sword energy struck each other askew and bounced to the sides.

CRACK!

Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy, deflected in a diagonal slash shape, cut cleanly through the bow of another passing ship behind them. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy dissipated.

However, Taoist Master Bok-cheon had not poured out all his strength but reserved some power to strike once more.

SWISH!

The sword energy flew swiftly across the water surface like a nimble swallow toward Ga Mu-ru.

After releasing one blade strike, Ga Mu-ru’s waist was completely turned around. It looked difficult for him to respond. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy covered Ga Mu-ru’s body. However, even with his body turned, Ga Mu-ru lightning-fast reversed his posture and swung his great sword with one arm. The great sword directly met the sword energy and sent sparks flying.

CLANG! Just as Ga Mu-ru’s great sword seemed to be slightly pushed back by Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy, he pressed the side of the blade with his opposite forearm and pushed it away. The sword energy shattered with a crash and bounced away.

From the deflected sword energy and the wind pressure of Ga Mu-ru’s swinging great sword, a water spout shot up in front of the ship.

WHOOSH!

Taoist Master Bok-cheon widened his eyes. Ga Mu-ru’s figure was hidden by the water spout and couldn’t be seen. Taoist Master Bok-cheon immediately placed his sword lightly on his right thigh, bent his legs, and took a stance.

WHOOOOSH!

The rising water spout was horizontally bisected and split. Then Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy, the Lightning Blade, flew toward him. It was even more powerful than before.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon didn’t meet it head-on but lowered his body and shouted.

“Get down!”

Son Bi was fighting the approaching evil faction warriors, blocking them from interfering with Taoist Master Bok-cheon. Upon hearing Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s voice, she immediately pressed her body to the floor and lay completely flat.

A terrifying spatial severance occurred above Son Bi’s head. The cold feeling of a blade as if someone had swung a sword directly overhead made her neck tingle with goosebumps. At the same time, the crackling lightning energy was so intensely hot it created a contradictory sensation.

Son Bi’s flowing hair also had its tips instantly burned as the Lightning Blade grazed past.

“Huh?”

When Son Bi suddenly prostrated herself, some of the evil faction warriors tried to rush at her, while others instinctively lowered their bodies.

However, since neither group could lie completely flat, physical severance occurred along with spatial severance. The cross-sections of severed legs and torsos rapidly burned and shriveled, and the remaining chunks were instantly blown backward.

WHIIIINE…

The thick mast was cut and toppled horizontally like a connected bowstring, destroying the ship’s hull. The cut surface was charred black.

The ship tilted unsteadily.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon didn’t lose concentration even in the midst of this.

“Here comes another!”

The blade energy flew lower than before. However, because the ship’s hull had tilted, Taoist Master Bok-cheon didn’t meet it head-on.

“Jump!”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon shouted and climbed onto the ship’s bow. Son Bi stepped on the tilting side’s rail and leaped to the opposite raised rail.

CRASH!

Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade bisected the tilted ship. A third of the hull, from the bow to the port rail, was cut diagonally away.

SIZZLE.

The cross-sections of the severed hull burned and emitted smoke. Pine resin and linseed oil applied for waterproofing burned, wafting a fragrant and savory smell.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon took a long breath.

“Whooo, hup!”

Billowing smoke obscured his vision.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon released sword energy.

Heaven and Earth Division!

Sword energy gathered in a sphere at the sword’s tip, then burst forth when swung, splitting heaven and earth in two.

The rising smoke was cleanly cut, with the lower part becoming denser and the upper part scattering to create a strange sight.

From the opposite side, Ga Mu-ru also countered with Lightning Blade.

BANG! When Lightning Blade and the sword energy of Heaven and Earth Division met head-on, thunder roared and created a great resonating sound over the river.

WHOOSH! The water surface was pressed down, then rebounded upward, creating water spouts.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon continued firing sword energy without rest. Ga Mu-ru did the same.

SWISH! SWOOSH!

ZZZZZT!

Every time Lightning Blade and sword energy flew, water spouts were cut and exploded, creating masses of water vapor. Even that water vapor was cut and severed again, scattering into mist whenever Lightning Blade and sword energy exploded.

Artificially created fog began to thickly blanket the river.

BOOM! BOOM!

Water spouts shot up repeatedly.

Lightning Blade and sword energy that didn’t annihilate upon collision bounced in all directions, damaging other ships.

Whether Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade or Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy, anything in their path was cut without discrimination.

The support ropes of a ship beside Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s ship were severed.

WHIIIIINE!

The thick support rope that had been tautly stretched between the mast and stern snapped and whipped through the air.

“AAAHHH!”

The sailors were either struck in the chest by the rope bundle too thick to grasp with one hand and thrown into the river, or hit in the head with broken necks.

Already, three or four nearby ships had suffered near-destruction from unexpected calamity. Unable to steer, they drifted helplessly with the current.

Other ships that could still move began distancing themselves from the two vessels.

This was truly a battle between masters beyond human level.

No one could rashly interfere. Even Son Bi and the evil faction masters couldn’t carelessly intervene.

Still, the two didn’t stop.

BOOM WHOOOOSH!

Gradually, Taoist Master Bok-cheon was pushed back. The water spouts moved toward Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s side. While Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy maintained its full power, Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy gradually diminished.

The difference in internal energy was widening.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon was drawing out all his strength, sweat beading on his face and lips parched dry. All the hair on his body stood on end.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon gritted his teeth and exerted even more force.

“HAAAH!”

Grasping the sword with both hands and raising it skyward, he brought it down with all his might.

He could no longer block Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade with horizontal sword energy of equal level. So he changed direction to vertical.

SWOOSH!

Cutting through water vapor, smoke, fog… and even the current itself, Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy flew.

CRACK!

There was a sound of something being struck and split by the sword energy.

Was it a success?

However, Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s face turned pale.

Unable to even think of lifting his sword, Taoist Master Bok-cheon muttered with parched lips.

“…I failed.”

Son Bi followed Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s gaze ahead.

The thick fog split left and right, revealing the result clearly enough to see.

Before they knew it, the distance between the two ships had become quite close. From the original fifty to sixty zhang, it had narrowed to about thirty zhang. One careless moment and they would collide.

The rail of the ship Ga Mu-ru was on, between the starboard side and stern, had been cut about halfway down from the top by Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s recent strike.

Unable to bear the weight of cargo loaded in the hold, the severed section began splitting and sinking. The bow and stern lifted while the ship’s middle split open, cargo from the inner hold spilling into the river water. They were sacks containing salt.

However, Ga Mu-ru stood on the raised bow with his great sword lowered to the right, waiting. Knowing the attack would miss, he hadn’t bothered to respond.

Ga Mu-ru briefly frowned from pain in his ribs but wasn’t exhausted like Taoist Master Bok-cheon.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon said.

“Tell Poison Dragon… to avoid Thunder Emperor.”

Intense killing intent blazed from Ga Mu-ru’s eyes like radiance.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon shouted to Son Bi.

“Go!”

Ga Mu-ru raised his great sword and swung it lightning-fast from upper right to lower left. A powerful gale arose and Lightning Blade burst forth. The Lightning Blade, released in a semicircle, became a straight line that diagonally cut through space.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon also drew out his last strength to extend two chi of sword energy. However, he couldn’t fire it as Heaven and Earth Division. All he could manage was to swing it to block Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade.

He struck the incoming Lightning Blade with sword energy with all his might.

CRASH SIZZLE!

Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s hands trembled as he brought down his sword with maximum force to avoid being pushed back.

SIZZLE SIZZLE SISSLE!

The Lightning Blade wasn’t pushed back at all and sent sparks flying. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy shattered and visibly diminished. The sword blade chipped and black marks appeared as it began to wear away.

Long cracks formed in the sword body.

Then.

CRASH! Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword broke. The Lightning Blade diagonally grazed Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s right shoulder and passed through. His shoulder blade and arm fell away. From the charred black area of the cut, bright red blood beaded and seeped out. The slowly seeping blood soon poured like water leaking from a roof.

“Kuh… huk.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon coughed up blood and fell to his knees.

But he didn’t die right there. Son Bi immediately grabbed Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s left arm and supported him. Taoist Master Bok-cheon scowled.

“Didn’t I tell you to go!”

Son Bi ignored his words and ran with one of his arms over her shoulder.

Though the ship carrying Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Son Bi continued sinking, broken planks were everywhere, so escaping with lightness skills wasn’t difficult.

Ga Mu-ru didn’t throw his great sword but embedded it in place. Then he crossed his arms.

WHOOSH WHOOSH.

The evil faction masters behind him launched their bodies as if they had been waiting, pursuing Son Bi and Taoist Master Bok-cheon.

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Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Son Bi leaped over the ships with lightness skills, heading toward the ship where the evil faction masters were located.

Thunder Emperor Ga Mu-ru came out to the ship’s rail and stood with his great sword embedded there.

As the ship carrying Ga Mu-ru drew closer, Son Bi felt tremendous pressure. Ga Mu-ru appeared larger than the ship he was on. He wasn’t one of the Three Supremes of the martial world for nothing. The air became heavy, making breathing difficult.

With Ga Mu-ru’s ship before them, Taoist Master Bok-cheon blocked Son Bi with his arm and stopped.

“Stop.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon said with wide eyes, glaring ahead.

“Go further and you’ll be cut.”

SWOOOOSH!

As fierce currents flowed, Ga Mu-ru from the ship across leaned on his great sword and spoke in his characteristic low, rumbling voice.

“A disciple of Woo-am, I see.”

Though he didn’t speak loudly, it pierced through the river waves and could be heard clearly as if spoken directly into their ears.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon ignored Ga Mu-ru’s words and spoke dismissively.

“How dare you set foot in Sichuan with such wicked intentions. Have you wandered the frontier for so long that you’ve lost all fear?”

“How dare…”

Anger dwelt in Ga Mu-ru’s low voice.

“Even Woo-am did not use such words to me.”

FLASH!

The moment Ga Mu-ru drew the great sword that had been embedded in the ship’s rail, blue lightning flickered at its tip.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon slowly drew his sword, raising it toward the sky, and faced off from a distance.

The two ships were about fifty to sixty zhang apart.

However, tension flowed as if they were facing each other directly. Son Bi turned around to guard Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s back. Evil faction warriors emerged from the cabin, watching for opportunities to target Son Bi and Taoist Master Bok-cheon.

Ga Mu-ru muttered.

“Die by the Lightning Blade.”

Ga Mu-ru’s eyes flashed.

In the blink of an eye, Ga Mu-ru swung his great sword.

ZZZZZT!

Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy split the water and flew across the distance in an instant.

A beat later, Taoist Master Bok-cheon also brought down his sword.

Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy was vast and destructive. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy was narrow and solid.

The two forces collided in the middle.

CRASH!

With a sound like space tearing, the blade energy and sword energy struck each other askew and bounced to the sides.

CRACK!

Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy, deflected in a diagonal slash shape, cut cleanly through the bow of another passing ship behind them. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy dissipated.

However, Taoist Master Bok-cheon had not poured out all his strength but reserved some power to strike once more.

SWISH!

The sword energy flew swiftly across the water surface like a nimble swallow toward Ga Mu-ru.

After releasing one blade strike, Ga Mu-ru’s waist was completely turned around. It looked difficult for him to respond. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy covered Ga Mu-ru’s body. However, even with his body turned, Ga Mu-ru lightning-fast reversed his posture and swung his great sword with one arm. The great sword directly met the sword energy and sent sparks flying.

CLANG! Just as Ga Mu-ru’s great sword seemed to be slightly pushed back by Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy, he pressed the side of the blade with his opposite forearm and pushed it away. The sword energy shattered with a crash and bounced away.

From the deflected sword energy and the wind pressure of Ga Mu-ru’s swinging great sword, a water spout shot up in front of the ship.

WHOOSH!

Taoist Master Bok-cheon widened his eyes. Ga Mu-ru’s figure was hidden by the water spout and couldn’t be seen. Taoist Master Bok-cheon immediately placed his sword lightly on his right thigh, bent his legs, and took a stance.

WHOOOOSH!

The rising water spout was horizontally bisected and split. Then Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy, the Lightning Blade, flew toward him. It was even more powerful than before.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon didn’t meet it head-on but lowered his body and shouted.

“Get down!”

Son Bi was fighting the approaching evil faction warriors, blocking them from interfering with Taoist Master Bok-cheon. Upon hearing Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s voice, she immediately pressed her body to the floor and lay completely flat.

A terrifying spatial severance occurred above Son Bi’s head. The cold feeling of a blade as if someone had swung a sword directly overhead made her neck tingle with goosebumps. At the same time, the crackling lightning energy was so intensely hot it created a contradictory sensation.

Son Bi’s flowing hair also had its tips instantly burned as the Lightning Blade grazed past.

“Huh?”

When Son Bi suddenly prostrated herself, some of the evil faction warriors tried to rush at her, while others instinctively lowered their bodies.

However, since neither group could lie completely flat, physical severance occurred along with spatial severance. The cross-sections of severed legs and torsos rapidly burned and shriveled, and the remaining chunks were instantly blown backward.

WHIIIINE…

The thick mast was cut and toppled horizontally like a connected bowstring, destroying the ship’s hull. The cut surface was charred black.

The ship tilted unsteadily.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon didn’t lose concentration even in the midst of this.

“Here comes another!”

The blade energy flew lower than before. However, because the ship’s hull had tilted, Taoist Master Bok-cheon didn’t meet it head-on.

“Jump!”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon shouted and climbed onto the ship’s bow. Son Bi stepped on the tilting side’s rail and leaped to the opposite raised rail.

CRASH!

Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade bisected the tilted ship. A third of the hull, from the bow to the port rail, was cut diagonally away.

SIZZLE.

The cross-sections of the severed hull burned and emitted smoke. Pine resin and linseed oil applied for waterproofing burned, wafting a fragrant and savory smell.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon took a long breath.

“Whooo, hup!”

Billowing smoke obscured his vision.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon released sword energy.

Heaven and Earth Division!

Sword energy gathered in a sphere at the sword’s tip, then burst forth when swung, splitting heaven and earth in two.

The rising smoke was cleanly cut, with the lower part becoming denser and the upper part scattering to create a strange sight.

From the opposite side, Ga Mu-ru also countered with Lightning Blade.

BANG! When Lightning Blade and the sword energy of Heaven and Earth Division met head-on, thunder roared and created a great resonating sound over the river.

WHOOSH! The water surface was pressed down, then rebounded upward, creating water spouts.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon continued firing sword energy without rest. Ga Mu-ru did the same.

SWISH! SWOOSH!

ZZZZZT!

Every time Lightning Blade and sword energy flew, water spouts were cut and exploded, creating masses of water vapor. Even that water vapor was cut and severed again, scattering into mist whenever Lightning Blade and sword energy exploded.

Artificially created fog began to thickly blanket the river.

BOOM! BOOM!

Water spouts shot up repeatedly.

Lightning Blade and sword energy that didn’t annihilate upon collision bounced in all directions, damaging other ships.

Whether Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade or Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy, anything in their path was cut without discrimination.

The support ropes of a ship beside Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s ship were severed.

WHIIIIINE!

The thick support rope that had been tautly stretched between the mast and stern snapped and whipped through the air.

“AAAHHH!”

The sailors were either struck in the chest by the rope bundle too thick to grasp with one hand and thrown into the river, or hit in the head with broken necks.

Already, three or four nearby ships had suffered near-destruction from unexpected calamity. Unable to steer, they drifted helplessly with the current.

Other ships that could still move began distancing themselves from the two vessels.

This was truly a battle between masters beyond human level.

No one could rashly interfere. Even Son Bi and the evil faction masters couldn’t carelessly intervene.

Still, the two didn’t stop.

BOOM WHOOOOSH!

Gradually, Taoist Master Bok-cheon was pushed back. The water spouts moved toward Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s side. While Ga Mu-ru’s blade energy maintained its full power, Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy gradually diminished.

The difference in internal energy was widening.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon was drawing out all his strength, sweat beading on his face and lips parched dry. All the hair on his body stood on end.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon gritted his teeth and exerted even more force.

“HAAAH!”

Grasping the sword with both hands and raising it skyward, he brought it down with all his might.

He could no longer block Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade with horizontal sword energy of equal level. So he changed direction to vertical.

SWOOSH!

Cutting through water vapor, smoke, fog… and even the current itself, Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy flew.

CRACK!

There was a sound of something being struck and split by the sword energy.

Was it a success?

However, Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s face turned pale.

Unable to even think of lifting his sword, Taoist Master Bok-cheon muttered with parched lips.

“…I failed.”

Son Bi followed Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s gaze ahead.

The thick fog split left and right, revealing the result clearly enough to see.

Before they knew it, the distance between the two ships had become quite close. From the original fifty to sixty zhang, it had narrowed to about thirty zhang. One careless moment and they would collide.

The rail of the ship Ga Mu-ru was on, between the starboard side and stern, had been cut about halfway down from the top by Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s recent strike.

Unable to bear the weight of cargo loaded in the hold, the severed section began splitting and sinking. The bow and stern lifted while the ship’s middle split open, cargo from the inner hold spilling into the river water. They were sacks containing salt.

However, Ga Mu-ru stood on the raised bow with his great sword lowered to the right, waiting. Knowing the attack would miss, he hadn’t bothered to respond.

Ga Mu-ru briefly frowned from pain in his ribs but wasn’t exhausted like Taoist Master Bok-cheon.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon said.

“Tell Poison Dragon… to avoid Thunder Emperor.”

Intense killing intent blazed from Ga Mu-ru’s eyes like radiance.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon shouted to Son Bi.

“Go!”

Ga Mu-ru raised his great sword and swung it lightning-fast from upper right to lower left. A powerful gale arose and Lightning Blade burst forth. The Lightning Blade, released in a semicircle, became a straight line that diagonally cut through space.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon also drew out his last strength to extend two chi of sword energy. However, he couldn’t fire it as Heaven and Earth Division. All he could manage was to swing it to block Ga Mu-ru’s Lightning Blade.

He struck the incoming Lightning Blade with sword energy with all his might.

CRASH SIZZLE!

Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s hands trembled as he brought down his sword with maximum force to avoid being pushed back.

SIZZLE SIZZLE SISSLE!

The Lightning Blade wasn’t pushed back at all and sent sparks flying. Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword energy shattered and visibly diminished. The sword blade chipped and black marks appeared as it began to wear away.

Long cracks formed in the sword body.

Then.

CRASH! Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s sword broke. The Lightning Blade diagonally grazed Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s right shoulder and passed through. His shoulder blade and arm fell away. From the charred black area of the cut, bright red blood beaded and seeped out. The slowly seeping blood soon poured like water leaking from a roof.

“Kuh… huk.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon coughed up blood and fell to his knees.

But he didn’t die right there. Son Bi immediately grabbed Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s left arm and supported him. Taoist Master Bok-cheon scowled.

“Didn’t I tell you to go!”

Son Bi ignored his words and ran with one of his arms over her shoulder.

Though the ship carrying Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Son Bi continued sinking, broken planks were everywhere, so escaping with lightness skills wasn’t difficult.

Ga Mu-ru didn’t throw his great sword but embedded it in place. Then he crossed his arms.

WHOOSH WHOOSH.

The evil faction masters behind him launched their bodies as if they had been waiting, pursuing Son Bi and Taoist Master Bok-cheon.

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