Soul Summoning Sword

Chapter 23: Radiant Fusion and Shatter (3)

Gugwi didn’t miss the moment.

At the very instant Yeon Sohye’s silver mist wrapped around Jin Mukran, his Dantian surged with heat.

The third form of the Cloud Flow Spear, Cloud Flow Burst, erupted.

The spear in his hand spun rapidly, stirring the wind. As Cloud Flow Spirit Heart was activated, it drew upon the full extent of his inner energy. The spiritual energy gathered at the spear’s tip, tightening his muscles.

The cave’s narrow space worked in his favor. The low ceiling limited Jin Mukran’s Four Phantom Sword Technique.

Crack! Clang!

Her sword struck the cave wall, scattering stone dust.

The Spirit Essence Entities bathed in blue light trembled in response to the Spirit Flow Core. Simultaneously, his vision doubled in clarity, allowing him to clearly see Jin Mukran’s pouch. It was the perfect opportunity.

‘Those Spirit Essence Entities that have already found stability here… I can’t let her take them!’

Gugwi’s eyes reddened with bloodshot fury.

Gripping the spear more tightly, he finely tuned the Cloud Flow Burst. He aimed solely at the pouch.

“Leave the Spirit Essence Entities behind!”

His roar echoed through the cave walls.

The wandering spirits of the world were filled with rage. The same went for the souls that lingered long in the Realm of the Threshold. They yearned to unleash destruction. But spirits themselves had no way to release that fury.

Left alone, they would harbor resentment for a thousand or ten thousand years without affecting the world. They simply wandered, burdened by their grudges.

However, if a Soul-Summoner or a person with high spiritual sensitivity intervened, things changed. Then, they could use humans as vessels to unleash that fury. Whether humans summoned the souls to vent their rage or the souls took over the humans’ bodies to release their grudges—it was the same. Humans became tools.

For some reason, Gugwi despised that.

Even if a soul harbored deep resentment, allowing it to remain in its current state was a small solace. It was better that their rage wasn’t exploited, that they weren’t turned into someone’s tool.

That’s why he was angry. The way Jin Mukran tried to control the spirits using Spirit Essence Entities disgusted him.

But this outcry… it wasn’t just Gugwi’s thought. The scream also carried the will of Un Serim’s soul, channeled through his voice.

The rage of a sect leader who had lost his sect to a conspiracy vibrated through his vocal cords.

Gugwi felt the strange sensation of another’s will erupting from his mouth.

His body was pulled by Un Serim’s will.

Swishhh!

He struck at Jin Mukran with Cloud Flow Burst.

A sharp force erupted from the spear tip. The power of Cloud Flow Burst swept through the cave. The spinning spear shredded the air, charging straight at Jin Mukran’s pouch.

Jin Mukran instantly sensed the ambush.

“How dare you!”

At her shout, the Four Phantom Sword Technique exploded into action.

The sword of the Spirit Union’s Four Phantom Swordsman blazed like the sun. But the low ceiling of the mine limited the sword technique. The sword energy that should’ve soared into the sky struck the rock ceiling.

Jin Mukran clenched her teeth.

“Damn it! In such a narrow place….”

Yet even that level of sword energy was enough to tear through the cave.

Scorching heat grazed Gugwi’s cheek. As his body twisted smoothly, the phrase “Cloud Flow Footwork” came to mind. Un Serim had activated the Cloud Flow Footwork for him.

Swishhh!

He narrowly dodged the sword energy.

At that moment, Gugwi’s spear grazed the pouch. The sound of leather tearing rang out.

Rip!

Blue liquid leaked out.

“Aaaaaah!”

The spilling Spirit Essence Entities filled the cave, and the wails of vengeful spirits burst from every direction.

“Gaaah!”

Jin Mukran’s face turned pale as she hurriedly tried to recover the torn leather pouch.

“You brat!”

Her furious sword lunged at Gugwi’s chest like a bolt of lightning.

The fastest form among the Four Phantom Sword Technique—its power and speed were like a falling sun.

Tap tap tap tap!

Gugwi evaded by stepping along the wall with Cloud Flow Spirit Body.

As his toes struck the rock face, his body lifted into the air. From wall to wall… he used the narrow confines of the cave to move between surfaces.

“You think annihilating the Cloud Flow Sect wasn’t enough?!”

Un Serim’s fury echoed through the cave.

The Heavenly Sound Cult had nothing to do with the destruction of the Cloud Flow Sect. But to the former sect leader, every enemy appeared to be part of the conspiracy to wipe out his sect. Or rather, that’s how he perceived it.

Ssst!

The spear once again aimed at the pouch.

He couldn’t let even a single Spirit Essence Entity be taken. Everything had to be returned to its rightful place.

Bzzzzzz!

The spinning of the spear accelerated.

The cave walls trembled from the fierce whirlwind generated by the spear. Chunks of rock crumbled and fell.

“Who are you?! You can’t be some nameless nobody!”

Jin Mukran frowned and questioned him.

The spear he held was extremely crude—nothing more than a wooden spear with some metal stuck to it. It could hardly be called a warrior’s weapon.

Even so, its speed rivaled that of the Four Phantom Sword Technique. And the power imbued in it….

Clash! Clang clang clang clang! Screeeee!

Sparks flew as sword and spear clashed.

But… the moment their weapons struck, her arm trembled. The inner energy was powerful enough to make her lose grip of her sword.

‘Who is this man to have such inner energy…?’

A glint flashed in Jin Mukran’s eyes.

Someone with this level of Soul-Summoning Arts should already be known. Jin Mukran wouldn’t have missed such rumors. In the Cold Wolf Sect, those above the level of captain even knew the identities of Spirit Union practitioners.

Her gaze shifted to Yeon Sohye, who was lurking to the side, waiting for a chance.

‘The Shadow Moon Unit’s captain, known for always acting alone, has a partner…?’

Suddenly, Jin Mukran recalled a secret letter sent from the Cold Wolf Sect. The most recent message had mentioned one person.

“I see now. You must be the one called Gugwi. They said you recently awakened your spiritual sensitivity… You're a monster, just as the rumors said. With your Soul-Summoning alone, I’d believe you were in the Resonance stage.”

At her words, Yeon Sohye flinched.

‘No!’

Gugwi’s exposure was increasing.

If his current state reached the Heavenly Sound Cult, he would immediately become a high-priority target. He’d be first on the assassination list, and afterward, his every move would be watched.

Yeon Sohye lunged at Jin Mukran with full force, not giving her time to think.

Swishhh!

The Silver Spirit Sword flashed within the mist. A sword drawn through thick fog… blood sprayed from Jin Mukran’s arm.

She let out a groan.

“Damn it!”

Her sword turned toward Yeon Sohye.

At that moment, Gugwi’s spear once again grazed the pouch.

Riiiiip! Riiiip!

This time, the pouch was torn even more deeply. The blue liquid gushed out onto the ground.

The energy of the Spirit Essence Entities ran wild, and the wails of vengeful spirits filled the cave.

“Aaaargh!”

“They must die! I’ll kill them!”

Hundreds of voices overlapped.

While ordinary people couldn't hear them, to Soul-Summoners synchronized with spirits, the voices rang with dreadful clarity.

Gugwi did not stop. After the first spear thrust, he launched the second, unleashing the Fiery Radiance Burst of the Cloud Flow Spear. Dozens of spear shadows rained down on Jin Mukran. It was a fantastical trajectory, like a downpour of starlight.

“Damn it!”

Jin Mukran, seething with rage, swung her sword fiercely.

“Dodge! It’s the Falling Sun Slash!”

Yeon Sohye’s shout rang loud.

Gugwi didn’t know what Falling Sun Slash was. But he instinctively knew to be extremely cautious. Suddenly, an immense sword energy burst from her blade, as if the sun itself were falling. Or rather, it was as if the sun had been split in two… every sword energy and trajectory disappeared. In that instant—

Boom!

A blinding flash exploded before Gugwi’s eyes.

Slash!

The sword scraped past his body. It felt as if a dozen swordsmen had struck him all at once. Blood spurted from his entire body. Head, neck, chest, back, hips… his whole body burned.

Fortunately, the cave ceiling blocked part of the sword energy. The rock wall melted.

“Damn it! Because of this narrow space…!”

Jin Mukran gnashed her teeth.

The joint assault by Yeon Sohye and Gugwi was flawless. Especially Gugwi’s spear technique, which mixed strength and fluidity, making its speed and trajectory unpredictable. The only way to respond was to sense and evade.

While the Four Phantom Sword Technique was limited by the environment, the duo’s attacks precisely struck at Jin Mukran’s openings.

Panic rose in her heart.

‘If it were only Yeon Sohye or this man alone, I could manage… But two against one is impossible. Still, I can’t retreat like this. I must take the Spirit Essence Entities….’

She had already lost most of the collected spirits.

If she couldn’t retrieve them… the Cult Leader’s great ambition would collapse!

She gripped the pouch tightly with her left hand. The essence of Spirit Essence Entities accumulated over hundreds of years. With this, the Cult Leader could become the ruler of the Murim. It was something she absolutely could not lose.

‘I must kill them. There’s no way out without killing both of them.’

A killing light flickered in Jin Mukran’s eyes.

‘If I fail even this… Lord of the Twelve True Armies will…’

Fear crept up her spine.

Sasaha did not forgive failure. She recalled the fate of the Soul-Summoner who had failed to capture the Eight Generals last time. He had been torn apart alive by Sasaha’s Spirit Union souls. He hadn’t even had time to scream before his soul was devoured. He became an eternal slave to Sasaha.

Jin Mukran’s hand trembled. She had to avoid that fate at all costs.

Flash!

Her sword pointed toward Gugwi. All the heat of the Four Phantom Sword Technique focused on one point. But once again, the cave’s narrowness hindered her. The sword energy struck the ceiling and walls, dispersing.

She clenched her teeth. The Four Phantom Sword Technique had its limits in such tight spaces. She made a decision.

‘Four Phantom Swordsman, retreat!’

At her command, the Spirit Union’s Four Phantom Swordsman faded away. The blazing sword energy vanished. Jin Mukran formed a new summoning seal. Her fingers moved intricately, calling forth a different spirit.

‘Come forth, Blood Shadow Assassin!’

From the darkness, a new energy rose.

A mist of blood surrounded Jin Mukran. She made contact with the spirit of the Blood Shadow Assassin—a dark warrior infamous for assassinations during his life. He excelled especially in confined spaces. But…

“Ugh!”

Her body trembled slightly.

The Blood Shadow Assassin was far less obedient than the Four Phantom Swordsman. With only the fourth stage of Spiritual Sensitivity, he was a savage spirit difficult to control. Beads of blood formed on her forehead.

‘But I have no choice now.’

Her sword technique shifted. The Blood Shadow Blade Technique.

The blade slithered like a snake, drawing sinister trajectories. It was a technique perfectly adapted to the narrow space of the cave.

Slash!

Gugwi shuddered.

Un Serim’s grudge flared like fire through his blood. The wrath of a destroyed sect gripped his heart.

The Heavenly Sound Cult wasn’t directly responsible for the destruction of the Cloud Flow Sect, but this ambush reminded him of that tragedy. The dawn attack, the screams of family, the torn bodies of disciples. Surely, the Cloud Flow Sect had fallen in the same way.

Gugwi regulated his breath and spiritual energy with Cloud Flow Spirit Heart.

A surge of heat rose from his Dantian. The energy of the Spirit Essence Entities and the Spirit Flow Core resonated, amplifying his power.

“You will never create another Cloud Flow Sect again!”

Un Serim sought Jin Mukran’s life, but Gugwi coldly targeted the pouch filled with Spirit Essence Entities. The spirits inside were far more valuable than her life.

‘I have to tear the pouch apart completely. I can’t let her take even a handful!’

Swishhh!

The Blade River of the Blood Shadow Blade Technique shook the cave.

Gugwi retreated with Cloud Flow Footwork, breathing heavily. But his eyes sharpened even more.

Yeon Sohye shouted from within the mist.

“Gugwi, fall back!”

Her Silver Spirit Sword kept Jin Mukran in check.

Gugwi had strong martial arts and a high level of Soul-Summoning. But he lacked real combat experience. If he gave his all, he might be able to withstand the Blood Shadow Blade Technique. But right now, he was missing the subtle changes in the battlefield.

Swishhh!

With Yeon Sohye’s help, Gugwi retreated and caught his breath.

The Spirit Flow Core pulsed violently in his Dantian… and Un Serim’s fury gripped his heart. The Spirit Essence Entities in the cave all trembled. The wails of the vengeful spirits grew louder.

He waited for the next chance to completely destroy the pouch.

The Spirit Essence Entities scattered throughout the mine quivered in response to his will.