Soul Summoning Sword

Chapter 74: Heavenly Soul-Slaying Strike (4)

The lips of the Sixth True Army, Jinhwa Seong, curled upward. The scar crossing his face appeared all the more sinister under the moonlight.

“Gugwi is quite strong. To think he could push the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit to such a state. Huhu!”

He muttered.

The fingers clad in black Black Iron Gauntlets twitched.

“If things go well today, I’ll be able to kill two birds with one stone. I’d like to wait until the fight is settled, but… at this rate the Blue Blood Unit will retreat. Gugwi is far too vigorous. Attack. If the Blue Blood Unit falls back, it won’t be any fun.”

At his signal, dark shadows stirred.

The Assassins of Death appeared like the wind.

A group with faces covered in Cloth Masks seeped into the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter without a sound. There were no footsteps. No breathing. It was as if death itself were moving.

The first Assassin of Death crept up behind the Yeongbi Pavilion Lord. Something invisible flickered in his hand.

The Yeongbi Pavilion Lord was fully absorbed in his clash with Yeon Sohye. The Silver Spirit Sword Technique and his own sword arts collided, sparks flying. Every ounce of his attention was fixed on the enemy before him.

The Assassin of Death seized that opening.

The ambush techniques of the Inspection Corps were unmatched in the murim.

Their movement art, called “Silent Shadow Step,” cut off breathing entirely, silencing even the faintest footfall.

Even more terrifying was the “Blood Vessel Sealing Technique.” Before unfolding Silent Shadow Step, they would jab an acupoint to paralyze the flow of qi and blood, erasing every trace of presence.

An ambush launched in that state— even the greatest masters could be caught by a moment’s carelessness.

The Assassin of Death’s fingers reached toward the Fengchi Acupoint at the back of the Yeongbi Pavilion Lord’s neck. The nails, coated in poison, glimmered with a black light.

“Ghhk!”

Suddenly, the Yeongbi Pavilion Lord’s face twisted in pain. A sharp sting lanced across the back of his neck.

At once, black veins began to bulge from his throat. He had been struck by the “Silent Death”—the poison-tipped nail. The venom coursed through his vessels, painting them black.

“Th-this… what is this?”

He staggered backward, sword hand trembling. His vision blurred.

The Assassin of Death who struck him had already melted into the shadows, gone as if he had never been there at all.

The Inspection Corps’ Assassins of Death never engaged in frontal combat. With a single ambush, they incapacitated their foes. Not even someone of the Yeongbi Pavilion Lord’s caliber was exempt. A fleeting lapse was all it took.

From afar, the Bloodscent Fiend appeared.

“Grrrrrr…”

A beastly growl rumbled from his throat.

As he stretched his hand into the air, Living Spirits swarmed around him like a cloud.

Thirty Living Spirits blanketed the skies, their wails tearing through the air.

“Awooooo! Kreeeeek!”

The entire Valley of Heavenly Slaughter was engulfed in a sinister fog.

Living Spirits? Of course! Because Gugwi was fighting the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit, the Spiritless Zone had unraveled.

The Living Spirits roused the Stray Spirits from slumber, polluting them. Spirits that had once rested peacefully now erupted in frenzy. All of them—driven to corruption.

“Aaaagh! Save me!”

“Revenge! Revenge!”

Thousands of voices howled in unison.

“No! This can’t be!”

Yeon Sohye, who had been wielding the Silver Spirit Technique, was the first to clash with the Living Spirits.

Her silver mist overlapped with the sinister fog. The Living Spirits lunged at the sight of her technique.

“So Ryeonghwa!”

She strengthened the silver mist, but the Living Spirits were too savage. The chill they exuded tainted the fog, turning it black and foul.

“Khuk!”

Claws of a Living Spirit tore into Yeon Sohye’s shoulder. Black blood oozed forth—an infection by poison.

She staggered backward.

“For Living Spirits to act like this! Bloodscent Fiend! What have you done!”

Her face paled.

Living Spirits normally only scouted or pursued. They had never joined an attack before. Their nature was not this violent. Even their chases were reluctant, forced upon them.

But now— they were attacking proactively. What had been done to them?

“You wretches of the Heavenly Sound Cult!”

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit ground his teeth and swung his sword.

At once, he unleashed the Iron-Blooded Sword Technique. Normally, such foes would be nothing to him. But now, with his qi already drained, it was different.

Sssst! Shhk!

His blade could not keep pace with the Assassins’ silent movements.

Had they noticed? As if unwilling to waste the chance, daggers rained from every direction.

Shhk! Shhhhk!

“You bastards!”

The Captain roared, batting them aside. But one dagger grazed his side.

“Ugh!”

Blood seeped forth. His movements dulled.

‘This is bad!’

The Yeongbi Pavilion Lord swiftly judged the situation.

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit was on the brink of collapse. Only two Blue Blood Soldiers remained, while he himself was crippled by poison and forced to retreat.

“Fweeeet!”

He blew a sharp whistle.

Soul-Summoners of the Cold Wolf Sect gathered to him at once.

“Reorganize!”

His voice trembled.

To the unknowing ear, it sounded like a call to regain composure and fight again… but in truth, it was an order to retreat. Bound under the command of the Blue Blood Unit, he could not state it openly—yet the meaning was clear. Withdraw when possible.

Fwip-fwip!

The Soul-Summoners’ eyes swept the battlefield.

Chaos. Gugwi’s enemies were the Blue Blood Unit and the Heavenly Sound Cult. The Heavenly Sound Cult struck both Gugwi’s group and the Blue Blood Unit. Meanwhile, the Blue Blood Unit had to split and counter on both sides.

A three-way battle!

Gugwi’s party exploited the standoff between factions.

“Now’s the time!”

Yeon Sohye cried out.

Gugwi planted his spear into the ground and began to steady his breath.

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit was absorbed in fending off the Assassins of Death. The Yeongbi Pavilion Lord, poisoned, could barely stand.

Amidst it all, the fiercest attacks came from the Assassins of the Heavenly Sound Cult.

Bang!

Gugwi struck his own chest.

The Spirit Flow Core surged! Blue light erupted from his heart.

“Purify!”

Fwoooooom!

The blue radiance of the Spirit Flow Core poured out of his dantian, flooding the surroundings. At first one jang, then two… three, four jang… the range spread wider and wider.

The blue light wrapped around the rampaging spirits. Their howls began to fade.

A Spiritless Zone was forming.

Not only the Yeongbi Pavilion Lord but even the Assassins of Death of the Heavenly Sound Cult could no longer wield Spirit Union spirits. All within the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter were now forced to fight solely with true martial arts. The Bloodscent Fiend would have no choice but to withdraw.

But as if aware of the situation, the interference of the Assassins of Death began.

Shhhhk!

A Poison Nail shot toward Gugwi. The intent was clear—to give him no time for purification.

Jang Unhyeok stepped forward.

“I’ll take care of these bastards!”

Swaaaash! Clang!

His twin blades struck out like lightning, deflecting the Poison Nail. Sparks flared, and the clash rang with metallic resonance.

“Blazing Fire Warrior! Wind Sword Wolf!”

Without hesitation, he summoned Spirit Union Martial Artists into Spirit Contact.

Though a Spiritless Zone had formed, there were still spirits that could move. Spirits touched by the light of the Spirit Flow Core could act. Knowing this, he boldly unleashed them.

“Taah!”

Harmony of Flame and Wind spread forth, clashing against the Assassins of Death. He had to buy Gugwi more time.

Gugwi braced himself for the rampage of the Spirit Flow Core.

‘It’s dangerous, but I have no choice.’

Grinding his teeth, he pushed the Spirit Flow Core to its limits. Agonizing pain surged as though his heart would burst.

‘Uaaaagh!’

A scream lodged in his throat, unable to escape.

Blue light burst outward like an explosion, enveloping the entire Valley of Heavenly Slaughter. The Spiritless Zone had expanded to its maximum.

The Spirit Union of the Assassins of Death was completely sealed. All spirits they tried to summon vanished. The Bloodscent Fiend’s Living Spirits withdrew before the light even reached them, and the Stray Spirits within the valley hid themselves.

“W-what!”

The Assassins of Death faltered in shock.

Without spirits, they were nothing more than ordinary assassins. Even their vaunted Silent Shadow Step could not be employed.

Gugwi called out to Namgung Hoyoung.

“Namgung Hoyoung!”

A hazy shadow revealed itself. As if knowing Gugwi’s intentions, he rushed to Yeon Sohye and brandished transparent needles. Acupuncture invisible to the eye.

“Ugh…”

Yeon Sohye groaned.

But she trusted Namgung Hoyoung’s acupuncture. She had been treated with his needles several times before. And just as she trusted, the poison soon began to recede. Black blood seeped from the wound.

“Thank you.”

She steadied her breath and rose.

Yeon Sohye once more unleashed the Silver Spirit Illusion. This time, to attack the Assassins of Death.

“So Ryeonghwa!”

Pure silver mist rose. Untainted, uncorrupted.

At that moment, behind Gugwi, the Sixth True Army Jinhwa Seong appeared—soundlessly.

Shhhk! Thud!

With a single move, Internal Strength Technique!

Suddenly, Gugwi’s body could not move. Invisible threads bound him tight.

“Ghhhk!”

He struggled, but it was useless. The Internal Strength Technique was the martial art of one of the Spirit Union Martial Artists under the Sixth True Army. Known as the Iron-Binding Art, once ensnared, there was no escape.

Thud! Thud-thud-thud-thud!

An acupoint was struck, and through it, the Sixth True Army’s qi spread, subduing eighteen meridian points in an instant. It was not acupoint sealing from outside to in, but piercing from within.

“Huhu! Finally caught you.”

The Sixth True Army laughed.

But at that very moment, Namgung Hoyoung reacted instantly—True Acupuncture Sutras!

Ttak!

Transparent needles pierced Gugwi’s meridians. The eighteen sealed acupoints were undone in a blink, even the Ma Point, the core point, was freed in an instant.

Swaaaash!

The spear Gugwi thrust drove straight toward Jinhwa Seong’s face.

Startled, Jinhwa Seong stumbled back in haste.

“H-how…? Incredible. Is this also the work of the Spirit Flow Core? Just what can’t you do?”

Shock was etched on his face. Yet in his eyes burned an even fiercer greed.

“Not only the Spirit Flow Core, but you yourself are a treasure. There is no better vessel for the Spirit Flow Core than one like you. Huhu! Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. Of course… if you resist, I will.”

But then—his eyes caught the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit gathering his men and beginning a retreat.

“T-that!”

Jinhwa Seong was flustered.

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit was not withdrawing out of weakness. He still had a hidden move. Though they had suffered heavy damage, this retreat was meant to pass the fight entirely onto the Heavenly Sound Cult.

Once they withdrew, Yeon Sohye and Jang Unhyeok would rejoin the battle.

Jinhwa Seong began calculating swiftly.

‘This one is still within our territory. As long as we drive out the Blue Blood Unit, we can capture him whenever we wish. Killing him would be a waste—capturing him is a hundred times better. The possibility? More than enough. The Spirit Flow Core may be growing, but it is far from awakened. In a day or two, it will not reach completion. And this brat is still nearly unscathed.’

After seeing the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit retreat, he resolved to withdraw strategically.

“For now, I’ll fall back. Think carefully on what I said. Joining hands with us is not a bad option. I can guarantee you a position higher than the First True Army, second only to the Cult Leader, above all others.”

“Am I worthy of such?”

“Not yet. But in time, yes. What we want is simply to study the Spirit Flow Core. We’re not saying we’ll rip it out of your body. You lose nothing. Think on it well.”

At his signal, the Assassins of Death vanished into the shadows.

The Stray Spirits in the Valley of Heavenly Slaughter began rampaging again.

Once everyone had withdrawn, the corrupted spirits surged once more.

“Aaagh! Save me!”

“Revenge! Take revenge!”

Thousands of voices shrieked.

Gugwi calmly sat in the center of the field.

“Time to settle this.”

He closed his eyes and quietly activated the Spirit Flow Core. This time, it was not a rampage, but a gentle purification.

Blue light spread slowly, wrapping the spirits like a warm embrace. Their wails quieted. Anger turned to peace. Hatred turned to rest.

“Go in peace…”

Gugwi murmured.

One by one, the spirits became light and drifted into the Realm of the Threshold. Like stars ascending to the heavens.