Chapter 546

Chapter 546

Taoist Ya-gang displayed the essence of Zhongnan martial arts.

Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps, Twenty-nine Angles.

A sword technique created through exchanges between Zhongnan Sect's masters and Taoists of the Quanzhen Sect. It captured the vast energy of the heavens while gazing at the night sky from Zhongnan Mountain's highest peak.

Therefore, it cannot be executed with ordinary sword techniques, but only with sword qi. So much so that Zhongnan Sect calls it not swordplay but thunder technique. This thunder technique differs from lightning. It refers to the thunder that governs all things in creation.

Countless starlight gangs, like constellations in the heavens coming alive and moving, shone endlessly and dominated all directions around Jin Ja-gang.

There was no defense at all. The flow was controlled through Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps. If one tried to dodge carelessly, their body would be caught by the twenty-nine masses of gang qi controlling all directions.

Jin Ja-gang could only follow the flow of the vast galaxy led by Taoist Ya-gang. Jin Ja-gang moved according to Taoist Ya-gang's lead.

When Ya-gang pushed, he was pushed back with backward steps, when pulled, he stepped forward. When moving sideways, he jumped to follow exactly. If he deviated even slightly from Taoist Ya-gang's lead, he would be struck by the sword qi.

The watching Shaanxi martial artists unconsciously clenched their fists.

From the side, Jin Ja-gang appeared trapped by twenty-nine stars. It seemed impossible to escape no matter what supreme movement technique he used. If he tried to force his way out, he'd have to leave behind an arm or leg.

He's caught!

Most watchers thought the same. It was puzzling why Jin Ja-gang had just watched until Taoist Ya-gang fully deployed Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps. Did he look down on Taoist Ya-gang? It appeared he'd walked into a trap through his own arrogance.

Everyone swallowed dry saliva.

Taoist Ya-gang, who trapped Jin Ja-gang within Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps, was impressive, but Jin Ja-gang, who moved identically as if one body with Taoist Ya-gang and avoided harm, was also impressive.

Taoist Ya-gang wasn't moving slowly either. He continuously deployed footwork, leaving blurry afterimages while driving Jin Ja-gang. Yet Jin Ja-gang moved identically, never leaving the space within the twenty-nine angles created by Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps.

Those with weak eyesight couldn't see the two properly. Dust rising from the ground where they moved grew thick.

Little by little, the twenty-nine stars led by Taoist Ya-gang tightened. The space where Jin Ja-gang could move became correspondingly narrow. At this rate, within a quarter-hour Jin Ja-gang's limbs would be severed.

Sizzle, sizzle.

Without even touching, Jin Ja-gang's clothes began to scorch and burn.

No one under heaven could withstand sword qi with their bare body. If it tightened just a bit more, Jin Ja-gang would die. Everyone clenched their fists. Though they couldn't carelessly interfere due to the sword qi, how wonderful would it be if Jin Ja-gang died like this and there was no need to fight further?

However, Mount Hua Sect's Feng Shi's face was different from the other martial artists.

"This... this terrible..."

"What?"

The martial artists were surprised when Feng Shi suddenly spat out curses.

But surely Feng Shi wouldn't curse his ally Taoist Ya-gang...

Feng Shi's expression was completely contorted. With a mournful voice, Feng Shi spat out his words.

"Taoist Ya-gang's sword qi... to be blocked like this!"

The martial artists rubbed their eyes and looked at the situation again, wondering why Feng Shi said such things. But it seemed no different from what they saw before. Taoist Ya-gang maintained a constant distance from Jin Ja-gang while driving him, and Jin Ja-gang appeared to follow Taoist Ya-gang's lead to avoid getting caught in the sword qi.

Only their expressions differed. Jin Ja-gang's expression showed no tension at all. Consistently calm throughout. However, Taoist Ya-gang was clearly tense, sweating as if being chased, his face hardened.

Why did Taoist Ya-gang, who was leading the offensive, wear an expression as if being pressed?

Crackle crackle!

Taoist Ya-gang and Jin Ja-gang approached close to the martial artists.

"Fall back!"

Mount Hua Sect's Feng Shi urgently shouted.

Though bewildered, the martial artists retreated to avoid being swept up. Several martial artists who moved late suddenly turned black in the face and vomited blood.

"Urgh!"

The martial artists died vomiting blood.

Looking again, Taoist Ya-gang's complexion also flushed red and blue.

Only then did the martial artists realize the meaning of Feng Shi's words and were horrified.

Taoist Ya-gang had been poisoned!

The martial artists focused on Taoist Ya-gang's sword.

The closer to pure white the mass of light attached to the sword tip, the purer the internal energy possessed, and the more extreme its power.

Taoist Ya-gang's sword tip facing Jin Ja-gang had also initially been pure white gang qi. This showed how deeply cultivated a martial artist Taoist Ya-gang was as the sect leader of the great sect called Zhongnan Sect.

However, now facing Jin Ja-gang, multicolored flames were subtly mixed into the mass of gang qi. In the burning atmosphere, blue flames, green flames, and red flames could be seen. Acrid smoke rose. Half-burned black specks mixed with the smoke, fluttering about.

Crackle, crackle.

Even irritating noise.

Around them, smoke could be seen fluttering mixed with dim dust.

The flames and smoke mixed in the sword qi were actually the phenomenon of Jin Ja-gang's poison qi burning. Taoist Ya-gang's sword qi was burning the poison qi, spreading poison smoke.

Shaanxi's martial artists felt chills.

It wasn't that Taoist Ya-gang trapped Jin Ja-gang, but that Jin Ja-gang wasn't letting go. By not letting go, by maintaining distance and staying attached, Taoist Ya-gang couldn't stop Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps.

The moment he stopped, Jin Ja-gang's offensive would clearly begin. But if he didn't stop, it was no different from continuously generating poison smoke and trapping himself in poison qi.

Taoist Ya-gang was increasingly being driven into a corner on all sides. His constant leaping in all directions wasn't to trap and press Jin Ja-gang with sword qi but to shake him off. Even time was Jin Ja-gang's weapon. If the sword qi was exhausted or the poisoning worsened at this rate, Taoist Ya-gang would die.

The martial artists doubted their eyes. Some rubbed their eyes and looked again.

Until just now, it was clearly Taoist Ya-gang attacking and leading the sword qi, but as soon as they changed their thinking, they could clearly see Taoist Ya-gang being pressed.

Same scene, different meaning.

What appears on the surface and the internal circumstances are completely different.

Appearance and reality don't match.

Just as a revealed part of the truth is never the whole truth.

The Unbreakable Heavenly Sword Baek Li-jung obtained the title of great hero of the righteous path by reporting his in-laws as following the demonic path and leading their extermination. However, just as the outward appearance differed from reality.

Taoist Ya-gang wielding sword qi was actually the one pressed into defense.

The same was true of Shaanxi's martial artists. Outwardly they appeared to surround Jin Ja-gang, but in reality, weren't they unable to approach carelessly due to sword qi and poison smoke, waiting for death?

Heat haze could be seen rising from Taoist Ya-gang's sword qi instead of smoke. Inner qi deviation and loss of clarity. Taoist Ya-gang's internal energy consumption, unable to properly operate his internal energy while blocking poison qi, became rapid.

Death blossoms began to bloom on Taoist Ya-gang's nape.

Red Extinction flowers! The martial artists could see Taoist Ya-gang didn't have much life left.

Whether Taoist Ya-gang drew up more internal energy, the sword qi's starlight didn't diminish but became much brighter.

Feng Shi bit down hard on his molars and secretly sent a voice transmission to skilled masters.

"Prepare!"

The masters who received Feng Shi's voice transmission flinched.

"Taoist Ya-gang is aiming for one move. A single moment's opportunity will come to us."

The masters drew up internal energy and waited for the moment. Poison smoke was spread everywhere. The moment they attacked, they'd be poisoned and might not survive. But they had to be prepared for that much to face Jin Ja-gang anyway. So they must not miss the one opportunity that would come!

Taoist Ya-gang completely stopped Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps and instead regulated his breathing while slowing the tempo as much as possible.

After moving frantically like lightning, the flow suddenly became leisurely. The twenty-nine angled stars disappeared one by one and gathered in one place. That many openings appeared in Taoist Ya-gang's offensive. Jin Ja-gang's eyes flashed.

Taoist Ya-gang endured internal injuries and forcibly changed the thunder technique of Great Unity Thunder Command Yu Steps. Blood burst from Taoist Ya-gang's nose.

Taoist Ya-gang rotated his sword at high speed in his hand, condensing power even more.

The poison qi Jin Ja-gang emitted and the poison smoke burned by the sword qi were sucked into Taoist Ya-gang's rotating sword. Even the air instantly burned. Jin Ja-gang reached a state where breathing was difficult. His entire body was pulled toward Taoist Ya-gang.

As the rotation accelerated further, Taoist Ya-gang's grip tore and blood spurted. Even the blood droplets were sucked into the sword and became ash.

In an instant, Taoist Ya-gang stopped the sword's rotation.

Fwoosh.

Everything being sucked in stopped in one moment and space froze.

Blood droplets flowing from Taoist Ya-gang's grip, which were being sucked in, stopped and floated in midair. Poison qi and poison smoke also stopped in place, fixed as if not moving.

Primordial Eagle Hound Thunder.

With powerful thunder technique, it suppresses all that exists. What can exist in that space is only Taoist Ya-gang who commands thunder, recognizing no other existence.

Like Namgung Rak's Absolute Slow Sword, it was Taoist Ya-gang's sword art that learned thunder technique controlling space through deep enlightenment.

Jin Ja-gang's body also stiffened under the pressure. Only Taoist Ya-gang could move in that state. Taoist Ya-gang thrust his sword forward at not fast speed.

Sssss, ssssss.

The sword qi burned the blood droplets floating in midair and burned the poison qi as it pushed straight toward Jin Ja-gang's chest.

"Now!"

Feng Shi shouted. Feng Shi ran first and the masters who received the voice transmission also ran toward Jin Ja-gang.

Twitch.

Jin Ja-gang's finger moved.

Jin Ja-gang's finger drew a small circle. Then drew another circle. Each time he drew a circle, his finger's movement became more fluid and the circle grew.

When he drew five circles, Jin Ja-gang could move up to his shoulder. Drawing one more circle, Jin Ja-gang's entire body escaped the restraint of Primordial Eagle Hound Thunder.

Click.

The Asura Divine Scripture released from Jin Ja-gang's wrist. The Asura Divine Scripture combined into one, drawing a large circle in front of Jin Ja-gang.

Taoist Ya-gang's sword passed through the circle created by the Asura Divine Scripture. The moment it passed through the circle, the sword qi disappeared. The internal energy and sensation connected to the sword disappeared.

Everything inside the circle was empty.

Man and Ox Both Forgotten.

The last picture remaining in the Ten Ox-herding Pictures, a single circle.

No sword qi, no thunder technique. Inside the circle, everything formed one body and nothing remained. His sword and shoulder that passed through the Asura Divine Scripture completely vanished.

Taoist Ya-gang's lips opened involuntarily.

"Huh..."

He was amazed.

He didn't expect to see the final enlightenment among Taoist cultivation methods here, and at the hands of an asura called a killing demon.

The realm of returning to emptiness where nothing exists yet simultaneously all things exist as one body.

"Man and Ox Both Forgotten..."

Stagger.

Taoist Ya-gang stepped backward. His shoulder completely vanished and the moment he retreated, he sprayed massive amounts of blood.

Taoist Ya-gang shook his head from side to side while laughing.

Red annihilation flowers instantly covered his face. Unable to endure longer, he knelt and died vomiting blood.