Soul Summoning Sword

Chapter 71: Heavenly Slaughter, Soul Strike (1)

— The fierce battle unfolding in the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter.

Whooosh!

The winter wind howled through the twisted trees.

In the wake of the wind, fallen leaves swirled and danced.

Guun raised his spear on the desolate plains of the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter.

A cold frost had settled over the barren ground, and the soil beneath his feet was frozen solid.

Fwaat!

Guun’s eyes were fixed solely on the spear’s tip.

Sweat rolled down his forehead and clung to the tip of his chin.

“Un Serim. General Madal.”

His voice echoed across the plain.

Two spirits appeared at his sides. The cold energy of Un Serim seeped in from the left, and General Madal’s scorching killing intent enveloped him from the right. The air on the plains grew taut with tension.

Twin Spirit Convergence.

The Spirit Flow Core pulsed in his heart.

Thump! Thump!

The heartbeat echoed in his ears. A blue glow coursed through his veins and seeped into the spear. From the tip, a mist-like energy rose—like the breath of a dragon.

Whooosh!

Guun swung his spear.

It was the first form of Cloudfire Spear Slash. The spear tip tore through the air, creating a whirlwind.

Swish!

The sharp sound of slicing wind rang out. The dry grasses of the plain were scattered in all directions.

The second form. The spear twisted like a coiling dragon.

The flexibility of Un Serim and the ferocity of General Madal fused into one. Blue flames sparked from the spear tip.

Fwaaash!

As the flames vanished, the smell of something burning pricked his nose.

“Still not enough.”

Guun grit his teeth.

The technique was complete, but it was still too raw to be used in actual combat. His wrist trembled.

From the Realm of the Threshold, the lingering thoughts of Namgung Hoyoung echoed.

“Inner strength… flow… control. True Acupuncture Sutras… circulation of energy and blood…”

Guun set down his spear and sat cross-legged in the center of the plain.

The frozen, hardened ground pressed into his rear. He rested both hands on his knees and drew a deep breath.

“Hooooph!”

Cold air filled his lungs.

Fwaaang! Bang bang bang!

The Spirit Flow Core pulsed even more violently.

Warm energy surged from various acupoints. Starting from Susamni, the energy flowed like heated threads through Gokji, and on to Hapgok. His inner energy circulated through his entire body, gradually stabilizing.

A subtle warmth from his skin began to melt the frost around him.

Guun’s face, absorbed in his training, radiated a calm concentration. His eyelids trembled slightly, and his lips were tightly sealed.

Meanwhile, beyond the plain, Yeon Sohye was also immersed in training.

“So Ryeonghwa.”

Her voice scattered with the wind.

It wasn’t the tone she usually used. The energy within her voice was deeper and more intense than ever.

Fwaaah!

A silver mist enveloped her.

The mist grew denser, eventually obscuring her entirely. Silver Spirit Illusion.

But… the density of the mist now was incomparably thicker than before. It surged like a silver cloud with substance, drifting through the air.

Within the mist, her figure blurred.

Her outline vanished, leaving only a shadow behind. Not only her appearance, but even her body heat and scent were completely sealed away. It was a concealment technique at its peak—as if she had vanished from the world itself.

Ssshh!

Within the mist, Yeon Sohye drew a dagger. The silver blade shimmered in harmony with the mist.

Her movements flowed like water. Yet with each swing of the dagger, a chilling sound of piercing air leaked out. As if the blade were slicing through the very air.

The effect of the Spirit Flow Core!

Yeon Sohye felt the transformation in her body clearly.

Her inner strength had deepened, and the circulation of energy had become smoother. A month of training now felt equivalent to ten years.

Her gaze turned to Guun.

She could see him swinging his spear on the plain. The blue energy flowing from his body subtly radiated outward. The ripple of the Spirit Flow Core.

Touching that ripple was akin to taking a spiritual medicine.

Yes. Just by being near Guun, her body was changing.

As a Soul-Summoner, as a martial artist, she couldn’t let such a rare opportunity pass. One swing of the sword brought the effect of ten swings. A thousand swings brought the result of ten thousand.

Every second was precious.

She threw herself even more fervently into training. Her dagger sliced the wind as it danced. Forms of the Silver Spirit Sword Technique unfolded in succession. Each movement deeper, more precise than before.

Jang Unhyeok swung his twin swords by the stream.

Whoosh! Splash!

The sound of water mixed with the blade wind.

“Blazing Fire Warrior. Wind Sword Wolf!”

His shout echoed through the valley.

From his right sword, red flames burst forth.

Chiiiik!

The flames scorched the air.

From his left sword, blue wind roared. Harmony of Flame and Wind.

Fire and wind merged into one, forming a massive whirlwind.

But this whirlwind was vastly different from the ones he had summoned before. It was more than twice the size and incomparably stronger. The stream evaporated in an instant.

Sssshhhhhh!

White steam rose to the sky from the dried-up creek.

A flash of surprise passed through Jang Unhyeok’s eyes.

His martial arts were advancing rapidly under the influence of the Spirit Flow Core. It reminded him of the drastic change—the impossible surge—he had felt the first time he established Spirit Contact with the Spirit Union Martial Artist.

‘I can’t waste this chance.’

Clenching his teeth, he swung his swords even more fiercely.

Though he had come to the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter for Guun’s training, now it was himself who was more desperate. He didn’t know how long the effect of the Spirit Flow Core would last.

Whoosh!

The twin swords danced through the air.

Red flames and blue winds collided and merged again and again. Sweat rolled down his face, but his eyes burned with intense desire and unwavering focus.

The stones by the stream glowed red, heated by the scorching energy. Nearby leaves fluttered in the wind and burned to ash.

But the peaceful training did not last long.

At the entrance of the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter, the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit raised his hand. His fingers trembled slightly.

“Aaaargh!”

“Huaaaah!”

The members of the Heavenly Slaughter Unit amplified their spiritual energy and unleashed the soundwave of the Nameless Sound Disruption like a crashing wave.

The air vibrated and rippled.

The stray spirits within the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter screamed and scattered.

Aaaagh!

The wails of the spirits echoed with the wind. The whispers of the spirits fell silent in an instant.

The Yeongbi Pavilion Lord scanned the surroundings with a tense expression.

His eyes darted rapidly. A cold aura flowed from the sword in his hand.

“Do we go in?”

His voice trembled. The dark entrance of the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter looked like the gaping maw of a giant beast.

“Not yet.”

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit shook his head.

His eyes stared deep into the valley. His gaze was sharp. He was waiting for something.

Unbeknownst to them, a black shadow moved beneath the shade of a tree.

It was an Assassin of Death from the Heavenly Sound Cult. His face was covered with a cloth mask, silently eavesdropping on the conversation between the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit and the Yeongbi Pavilion Lord. His breathing was steady, and his movements as quiet as a shadow.

When the conversation ended, the assassin silently withdrew.

Without making a sound, he vanished among the trees. He moved like a flowing shadow.

The assassin crossed over the ridge.

His pace quickened.

Beyond the ridge, a short distance from the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter, stood Jinhwa Seong.

The Sixth of the Twelve True Armies, the Bone-Crushing Fist King. His black iron gauntlets gleamed under the moonlight.

Armored cavalry stood in formation behind him. Yet, there was no clatter of armor. Silence reigned. Even the horses, gagged, made no sound.

The deep scar running across Jinhwa Seong’s face looked all the more grim under the moonlight.

The assassin knelt before him.

“Reporting in.”

His eyes were fixed on the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter.

“The situation?”

The assassin approached his side. His eyes gleamed from behind the cloth mask.

“The Blue Blood Unit and Yeongbi Pavilion have encircled the valley. It’s certain that Gugwi is hiding inside.”

The assassin’s voice rang out coldly.

Jinhwa Seong nodded. His hand stroked the black iron gauntlets. A cold metallic scent brushed his nose.

“Good. We’ll wait here.”

“Wait, sir?”

The assassin asked in surprise.

“We’ll let them do the work for us.”

Jinhwa Seong’s lips curled into a cold smirk.

“Let the Blue Blood Unit and Yeongbi Pavilion attack first. That guy Gugwi is formidable too. He needs to be worn down. No need to tire ourselves out. Once they’re both exhausted, we move in. Gugwi will be ours.”

A calculating gleam shone in his eyes. It was the ruthlessness he had honed over a decade in intelligence operations.

“Understood.”

The assassin bowed his head.

Gugwi stopped cultivating and opened his eyes wide.

Pang! Bang!

The Spirit Flow Core vibrated with a cold resonance. He felt his heart chill like ice.

‘Something’s wrong.’

His heartbeat turned erratic.

Thump-thump! Thump!

The pulse grew rough.

The Spirit Flow Core was clearly sounding a warning. A frost-like chill spread across his chest.

Sssht!

Gugwi rose from the open field.

A cold wind slapped his face.

Yeon Sohye and Jang Unhyeok looked at him. A flicker of unease crossed their faces.

Gugwi suddenly stopped cultivating and stood up? Did something happen?

“What’s wrong?”

Yeon Sohye asked urgently.

Her voice trembled. The silver mist wavered, and her figure emerged.

“Ah!”

Gugwi, now visible, let out a gasp of shock.

Now… she felt the strange presence too. Something was entering the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter.

“We’re surrounded.”

Gugwi spoke in a low, heavy tone, exhaling white breath.

“Wait… that sound… Nameless Sound Disruption. Huhu! It’s the Blue Blood Unit. Persistent bastards. They followed us all the way here?”

Jang Unhyeok drew his twin swords.

Shiiing!

The sound of blades sliding from their scabbards rang sharp. A cold gleam ran along the sword edges.

Gugwi shook his head side to side.

“It’s not just the Blue Blood Unit. Behind them… mounted martial artists. Iron armor, heavy metallic stench. Stench of blood. Gagged mouths. Very strong. In military terms, they’re heavy cavalry.”

“Inspection Corps!”

Jang Unhyeok exclaimed in shock.

“If even the heavy cavalry is here, it means the Sixth True Army has arrived.”

Gugwi raised a hand to silence him and placed a palm over his chest. A glacier-like energy surged from his heart. A cold vibration spread through his hand.

“They’re… not moving yet. For now, we focus on the Blue Blood Unit.”

Then it began. The stray spirits within the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter stirred with unease.

The spirits scattered in all directions, shrieking. Aaaagh! Screeech! Their cries tore through the air.

Gugwi stepped into the Realm of the Threshold.

The long-postponed task… purification.

As he closed his eyes, thousands of lights appeared in the darkness. Thousands of spirits trembled in fear. Their terror spread like ripples. Cold fear crawled up Gugwi’s spine.

“They’ll come crashing in soon.”

Gugwi absorbed as many spirits as he could. His grip on the spear tightened. A blue light from the Spirit Flow Core shone at the tip of the spear. The light flashed, cutting through the darkness.

Fweeeeeeeh!

The wind howled stronger.

The dry grass on the field swirled like a vortex, dancing wildly. The wind sounded like wailing cries.