Chapter 064
One strike. With a single sword strike, the Blood Cult warriors who had rushed at Ju Geumye were reduced to mincemeat. No time was given for regeneration or anything else. Perhaps because she had infused too much inner energy into the strike, her sword couldn't withstand her power and shattered into pieces. The sword, broken down to its hilt, made a cracking sound as it completely disintegrated. This was evidence of just how powerful Ju Geumye's inner energy had been in that single strike.
"Th-the Heaven-Shattering Flow Blade..." Officer Jin's voice trembled in shock.
People say the Imperial Palace has no unique martial arts, but that's not true. It's just that the masters who reside in the palace don't venture into the martial world, which is why people believe the palace has no distinctive martial arts. The Imperial Palace actually possesses ten martial arts classified as the Ten Great Techniques, and the Heaven-Shattering Flow Blade that Ju Geumye just demonstrated was one of the Three Supreme Techniques among them.
"It seems this blade couldn't withstand it either." Ju Geumye turned her gaze away from what had been a sword, now reduced to dust. Crimson inner energy flowed from her hands like flames.
The Blood Cult warriors flinched at the aura emanating from her and began to retreat cautiously.
"This is absurd."
"Did you really come to take the life of the Imperial Princess without any preparation?" Ju Geumye's voice was ice-cold. "Simply showing killing intent toward a member of the royal family is already treason that leaves you with no defense. Moreover, you attempted assassination, so the fate of the Blood Cult has been decided."
It had been decided more than twenty years ago. Emperor Myeongjeong had merely postponed it until now, unable to resist the pleas of his officials. And Ju Geumye herself knew better than anyone what that fate would be.
"So, die quietly."
Her palms, filled with destructive astral energy, whirled with terrifying heat.
...
Leaving So Seonha to guard the rear, Namgung Somin protected Baek Sugyeong and So Ssanga while cutting down the attacking Blood Cult warriors as they advanced. It felt as if Blood Cult warriors surrounded them from all directions. The warriors dressed in blood-red uniforms charged fearlessly. Since being cut down wasn't much of a problem for them, they kept coming endlessly.
'This is never-ending...'
Though Namgung Somin was a powerful warrior, being forced into this war of attrition wasn't good. Moreover, she wasn't alone—she had to protect Baek Sugyeong and So Ssanga while fighting this way, which meant Namgung Somin's side would eventually be cornered. Both So Ssanga and Baek Sugyeong following behind her knew this fact.
"What in the world..." Baek Sugyeong wore an expression of shock as he looked at the martial arts arena that had instantly become a chaotic battlefield.
Blood Cult? Did he hear that right? Not the Demonic Cult, but the Blood Cult had crawled all the way to Luoyang? He could even hear Blood Cult warriors searching for him everywhere, making his head feel numb and his body weak.
Baek Sugyeong clenched his teeth and forced strength into his body as Namgung Somin stood protectively in front of him.
'How did it come to this?'
Could a single book cause such waves? It seemed insane, but he found himself reluctantly accepting that this was just how the martial world worked, which made him hate himself. There was no normalcy in this martial world. This was exactly why he had wanted to avoid entanglement with the martial world if possible.
As he swallowed a sigh that was about to escape, Baek Sugyeong heard Namgung Somin's voice.
"Guild Leader So, Teacher, please don't leave my back."
"Lady Namgung."
Namgung Somin smiled slightly at Baek Sugyeong's call. But the smile was brief.
Baek Sugyeong and So Ssanga felt chills run down their spines from the strange aura emanating from the Blood Cult warriors rushing toward her. It was both an evil energy and the energy of death. A strange force that stimulated human survival instinct. Commonly called demonic energy, it was a force that emerged from orthodox demonic arts and stimulated the deepest parts of human instinct.
Baek Sugyeong's face naturally paled.
"Two women. It's the Jade Sword Flower."
"They said she travels with the Jade Sword Flower. Then that must be him!"
"Leave the Imperial Princess alone! If we just capture that scholar alive, we'll have completed our mission!"
"Damn it, my whole body aches from taking too many hits from that woman!"
"Let's just cut off his limbs and use him!"
"Hahaha, that sounds good!"
It was an order from the Unorthodox Alliance. Having entered with one unit of the Crazy Blood Unit, they needed to take something back. The Unorthodox Alliance had designated Baek Sugyeong as their target. That being the case, the Imperial Princess could be dealt with later.
"We don't care about the women! Just keep the man alive!"
"Attack together!"
The Blood Cult warriors knew no shame. As they activated their Blood Essence Demon Spirit Art, their hair began to flutter like red silk, and a sticky sword energy like blood seeped from the tips of their blades.
Seeing this, Namgung Somin tightened her grip on her beloved sword.
With a clear sound, Namgung Somin's sword cut through the air with a chilling noise. At the end of that clear, cold sound that seemed to carve out one's heart, the sword tip pointed at the ground. The sword energy of the Blood Cult warriors shattered into fragments along the trajectory of her sword.
"You will not take even a single hair from Teacher."
"Lady Namgung?"
Ignoring Baek Sugyeong's call as he sensed something odd in her words, the Blood Cult warriors charged. Knowing that Namgung Somin's movements were restricted because she was protecting him, the Blood Cult warriors released terrifying demonic energy from their bodies. Sticky sword energy, as if soaked in blood, scattered in dots across the air.
The Blood Dripping Sword Technique, based on the Blood Cult's unique Blood Essence Demon Spirit Art, spread like water droplets in the air, casting a blood-red net.
"Blood Calamity Net!"
The net of blood that summoned death unfurled. It wasn't just one or two. More than ten blood-red nets covered the sky and poured down.
As Baek Sugyeong and So Ssanga behind Namgung Somin gasped in surprise, a massive energy wave erupted around her. Golden-yellow sword energy surged from Namgung Somin's sword, infused with the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art.
Alternating her steps and rotating her body, Namgung Somin's sword tip flicked like the fingers of a musician dancing across a zither. Amid the golden sunset-like energy billowing like a flag, Namgung Somin's eyes shone coldly like the eyes of a predator burning through the night.
"This is...?"
Beautiful golden sword energy adorned the air like stars in the night sky. A golden cross that easily tore through the Blood Calamity Net. The sword energy of the Blood Dripping Sword Technique, torn apart with disappointing ease, shattered and scattered in all directions, stirring Namgung Somin's hair.
To protect Baek Sugyeong and So Ssanga.
Without advancing forward or retreating backward, the torn sword energy of the Blood Calamity Net fluttered like a bloody wind at the tip of her sword.
"...!"
Beautiful sword energy. That's what Baek Sugyeong thought.
"What are you standing there blankly for! Attack!"
"If you think you can fight while protecting a powerless human alone, you're mistaken, Jade Sword Flower!"
Namgung Somin smiled at the Blood Cult warriors' words.
Even though the Blood Cult was a remnant of the Old Murim, not all their low-ranking warriors could be from that era. Those who survived back then would have risen to higher positions. Those who remained below would be very few. If they were newly recruited or kidnapped and trained as Blood Cult forces, Namgung Somin could handle them alone easily.
"Alone, you say?"
Namgung Somin's smile deepened.
"What does that matter?"
Namgung Somin lightly tapped her foot. An energy wave rippled around her like water. The energy wave that passed through the Blood Cult warriors like a breeze momentarily grabbed their necks as if by a giant's hand.
As the Blood Cult warriors felt their bodies slow down momentarily, they saw Namgung Somin raising her sword.
Slowly, leisurely, the sword tip that had been pointing toward the sky moved horizontally. Despite seeing the slowly moving sword tip, they couldn't take their eyes off it. Like iron filings drawn to a magnet, countless gazes were pulled to the tip of Namgung Somin's sword.
In an instant, the tip of Namgung Somin's sword, which had been leisurely cutting through the air, disappeared from the sight of many.
With a sound like an arrow piercing through the air, a delayed scream of tearing air followed.
"Arghhhh!"
"Kuhuk."
"Wh-what happened..."
Groans erupted from the mouths of the Blood Cult warriors charging at Namgung Somin, staining the martial arts arena with blood.
What had happened? The Blood Cult warriors attacking Namgung Somin wore expressions of incomprehension, as did those who had been watching her sword.
Seeing smoke rising from the chests of their fallen comrades, the Blood Cult warriors belatedly let out a groan.
"Th-the Emperor's Sword Form..."
"The Emperor's Three Supreme Techniques!"
The Namgung Clan's strongest supreme technique.
The Emperor's Steps, the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art, and the Emperor's Sword Form, which exists with only three moves and three forms, also known as the Emperor's Three Swords. The so-called Three Supreme Techniques of the Namgung Clan.
The Namgung Clan's strongest sword.
They had witnessed a glimpse of it.
"Impossible...!"
"So she really is the daughter of the Sword King of the Blue Sky!"
"How could someone her age have mastered the Emperor's Sword Form!!"
The Blood Cult warriors' voices were filled with shock, causing even the warriors in the arena to stir.
But of course, Namgung Somin herself simply raised her sword as if it held no special meaning.
"Next."
Namgung Somin's voice fell coldly.