Chapter 51: Flame Sword Alliance (1)

Forming an alliance with a burning sword.

Gugwi stood atop the rock, his eyes blazing red.

As Am Ilho’s corpse, impaled by a spear, rolled down below, the face of the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit stiffened.

"You bastard...!"

Eleven members of the Blue Blood Unit surrounded Gugwi in a half-circle.

Killing intent radiated from the tips of their swords. The coldly heated air flowed between the cracks in the rocks. The Iron Fist Monk shifted to the right flank, completing the encirclement.

Their fury pierced the heavens.

The Blue Blood members stared at Am Ilho’s corpse in shock.

That an elite martial artist of the Murim Alliance had been skewered and killed in a single second — such a thing was unthinkable, even in a nightmare. Am Ilho was a master of the Five-Form Sword Technique and the Vice Captain of the Blue Blood Unit.

"This bastard must die!"

"We will kill him!"

The Blue Blood members shouted in fury.

They were seeking the Captain’s permission. Their objective had been to capture Gugwi alive, not to kill him on the spot. The Captain had intended to interrogate him.

The Captain ground his teeth.

The order had been capture, but death had already occurred. Blood for blood… The one who killed the Vice Captain would pay in blood.

"I meant to capture him... but killing him is fine!"

The Captain’s voice sank coldly.

"Hehehe! You want me dead? Hehehehe!"

Gugwi mumbled words that no one could comprehend whom they were directed to.

Shik!

He twisted his spear, dropping Am Ilho’s corpse to the ground.

Blood dripped from the spear tip, leaving red stains on the rock.

His low chuckle carried with it a rage against everything in the world.

"Kill him!"

"Aaaaah! Aaaah!"

Six Blue Blood members simultaneously opened their mouths and unleashed a sonic wave.

In that instant, an ear-piercing high-pitched sound surged toward Gugwi’s Dantian. His heart shrank instantly, and the blue light of the Spirit Flow Core rapidly dimmed. The sound waves struck the rock, sending up a spray of stone dust.

Nameless Sound Disruption!

But Gugwi laughed.

"It hurts like hell. This wouldn't even affect a normal person, right? A martial art designed solely to slay Soul-Summoners. Heh! That’s fine. But… those who aim to kill others must be prepared to die themselves."

A savage murderous aura flowed from Gugwi’s mouth.

With a detached gaze, he scanned the surroundings. The Blue Blood members gathering spiritual energy to unleash a more powerful Nameless Sound Disruption... Cold killing intent seeped from his frigid eyes.

"Taaah!"

With a roar, his spear shot forward like lightning. A white flash exploded from the spearhead.

Radiant Burst!

The second form of the Cloud Flow Spear tore through the sonic wave. Its speed was that of pure lightning! The Blue Blood member directly in front of him was pierced through the chest and flung backward.

Thud! Thump!

He died instantly, his head smashed against the rock.

"Evade!"

The remaining members scattered left and right. But by then, the already-swinging spear had slashed through two more shoulders.

“Ugh!”

Blood spurted from their wounds.

"Taaah!"

Gugwi let out a second cry and stomped the ground.

His spear spun in a circular motion. Just as the tip drew a circle, it thrust in three directions at once — Cloud Star Slash!

The member on the left screamed as his thigh was skewered. The martial artist on the right barely blocked with his sword, but the true force carried through the spear snapped his wrist and sent the sword flying.

Such formidable martial power!

The Blue Blood members weren’t mere specialists against Soul-Summoners. They were already recognized for their individual martial prowess — top-class martial artists. Not one among them could be called weak.

And yet, they were being overwhelmingly outmatched by Gugwi’s spear technique.

It proved just how powerful the Spear Arts of the late Lord of the Cloud Flow Sect had been — so powerful they shook the world. And the internal strength that allowed such mastery to be unleashed had come from the Nameless Martial Artist — a level among the best in all of Murim.

That complete internal power from both men had been passed down wholly to Gugwi.

"This lunatic…!"

The Captain’s face twisted.

No trace of reason remained in Gugwi’s eyes. He looked like a beast that regarded the entire world as its enemy.

The Iron Fist Monk circled behind Gugwi, aiming for his back. The Overlord Fist cut through the air. From the knuckle-duster embedded in his fist, power surged, strong enough to shatter rocks.

Gugwi immediately spun around and struck downward with his spear.

Celestial Cloud Strike!

The spear tip and the fist collided head-on with a thunderous roar. The Iron Fist Monk’s wrist snapped with a loud crack, while Gugwi was knocked two steps backward from the rebound.

"Attack together!"

At the Captain’s shout, the remaining eight members charged with their swords.

Swish! Swish!

Blades glinted from all directions, centering on Gugwi.

Gugwi spun his spear rapidly to defend. He deflected the sword coming from the left with the shaft and twisted his body to dodge the thrust from the right. However, the sword in front grazed his shoulder, and a blade from behind left a gash on his back.

“Grrhk!”

Blood trickled from Gugwi’s lips.

His martial arts were strong, but he lacked battle experience. He didn’t yet understand the true threat of combined attacks. But instead, he grew fiercer. Like a wounded beast!

Cloud Flow Explosion!

His spear burst out explosively in all directions.

The nearest member’s chest exploded with a sickening thud. The bloodstained spear instantly slashed another martial artist’s arm.

Two more fell.

“Heh... hehehehe!”

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit ground his teeth, a cold chuckle escaping his lips.

Already five were dead or critically wounded.

"You’ve given up on dying peacefully. Then again… even a worm squirms when stepped on. Who wants to die, really? They just die because they have no choice. No choice. Just like this!"

He brought both hands to his chest and activated a forbidden Soul Art.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

It sounded like compressed air exploding.

"Back away! It’s Dark Sound Break!"

Yeon Sohye’s urgent voice rang out.

But it was already too late to dodge. Sonic-based martial arts deal damage at the moment of activation. A profound soundwave, surpassing the Nameless Sound Disruption, erupted with a thunderous blast.

A Soul Art known only to a few even within the Murim Alliance. A hidden technique used against members of the Seven Cold Wolves or the Twelve True Armies.

"Ugh!"

Gugwi’s Dantian was crushed by the soundwave, instantly suffering internal injury.

The pain twisted his organs, and he collapsed to his knees. Blood streamed from his mouth and ears. At the same time, his contact with Un Serim and General Madal was abruptly severed.

The Blue Blood members didn’t miss the chance and charged in all at once.

"Die!"

A sword flew in from the left, aiming for Gugwi’s shoulder.

Gugwi tried to deflect it with his spear shaft, but the internal injury from the Dark Sound Break left his wrist too weak to hold strength. The blade grazed his shoulder, cutting deep and spraying blood.

"Khrrk!"

A Blue Blood member on the right lowered his body and thrust at Gugwi’s waist.

Gugwi twisted to evade, but strength had left his legs, and he couldn’t fully dodge.

Shwick! Thud!

The sword tip grazed his side, slicing off flesh.

The thrust from the front was barely blocked with his spear. But at that moment, a sword from behind slashed down his spine. His martial arts uniform tore, leaving a red line.

“Eiit!”

Gugwi spun around and swung his spear.

A misjudgment — the martial artist who had cut his back had already retreated. Instead, a sword from the side slashed his thigh.

Strength drained from his leg, and one knee hit the ground.

The Blue Blood members pressed harder, launching ferocious attacks. Wounds accumulated on his waist, legs, and arms.

Gugwi’s entire body was soaked in blood.

At that moment, a silver mist rose from between the rocks.

"So Ryeonghwa!"

Yeon Sohye appeared from behind a rock and unleashed the Silver Spirit Technique. But the aftermath of the Dark Sound Break still lingered, and the mist trembled as if it would soon scatter. She hadn’t been directly hit by the Dark Sound Break — she had only been caught in its residual force — yet it had still affected her this much.

“Gugwi! Snap out of it!”

Yeon Sohye shouted sternly. Desperation tinged her voice.

Gugwi forced his blurred vision open. Blood had run into his eyes, blinding him, but he could still grasp the situation.

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit was preparing another Dark Sound Break, the Blue Blood members were surrounding him with swords, and Yeon Sohye was trying to save him with the Silver Spirit Technique.

He knew instantly what he had to do.

Gugwi clenched his teeth.

“Spirit Flow Core...”

Boom!

A burst of blue light erupted from his Dantian.

When the power of the Spirit Flow Core fused with Yeon Sohye’s Silver Spirit Technique, the mist rapidly thickened and enveloped the surroundings. In an instant, the Silver Spirit Technique intensified, repelling the sonic waves of the Dark Sound Break.

“What is this?!”

The Blue Blood members panicked as their vision was lost. Within the silver mist, the presence of Gugwi and Yeon Sohye vanished.

“Don’t let them escape!”

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit shouted, but the two had already slipped away through the maze of rocks.

"This way!"

Yeon Sohye grabbed Gugwi’s arm and dashed. But she soon had to stop.

Blood continued to flow from Gugwi’s wounds, leaving stains at every step.

‘We can’t keep going while leaving this many traces.’

“Get on!”

“What?”

“No time! Get on!”

Yeon Sohye forcibly hoisted the hesitant Gugwi onto her back. Then she immediately activated Flowing Willow Storm, the movement technique of the Gale Spirit Guest. Like the wind, she weaved through the rocks and fled.

From behind, the sounds of Blue Blood Unit’s pursuit rang out.

“Follow the blood trail!”

“This way!”

‘I need to find a place to hide!’

Yeon Sohye’s mind was in turmoil, like being trapped in an ant nest.

Gugwi nearly lost consciousness, but gritted his teeth and endured.

He had to use the Spirit Flow Core to thicken Yeon Sohye’s mist and heal his wounds. But his organs, completely upended by the Dark Sound Break, showed no sign of recovery.

“There’s a cave!”

Yeon Sohye found a small cave deep between the rocks. Just large enough for two people to squeeze in.

“Let’s rest here for now.”

She laid Gugwi down inside and checked his wounds.

His shoulder, back, and waist had deep gashes, and his internal injuries were severe.

“Are you okay?”

“I won’t die.”

Gugwi forced a smile and tried to sit up. But his body wouldn’t obey.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Yeon Sohye asked sternly.

“There’s a limit to underestimating the Blue Blood Unit — and you killed the Vice Captain? You looked possessed back there. The killing intent was so strong, you seemed like a vengeful spirit. What triggered you?”

“Hehehe!”

Gugwi’s expression turned cold.

The phrase he saw at the altar of the Cloud Flow Sect echoed in his mind.

‘The bearer of the Spirit Flow Core must take their own life...’

His father Guun, the Cloud Flow Sect, and Un Serim — they all wanted him dead. To destroy the Spirit Flow Core and prevent the return of the Manifest Demon Emperor, he had to die.

“They all... want me dead. Even my father.”

Gugwi’s voice mixed with betrayal and fury. Then he began to speak — about what his father, the Cloud Flow Sect, and Un Serim truly wanted. About why the Spirit Flow Core had been implanted in him.

Yeon Sohye watched his expression and cautiously spoke.

“Gugwi...”

“...”

“There are two ways to stop the Manifest Demon Emperor.”

She placed her hand on Gugwi’s shoulder.

“The most certain and simple method is your death. This method has no repercussions. No chance of failure. It can be achieved at this very moment. If you ask for my opinion as a Soul-Summoner... I can’t help but agree with it. Any Soul-Summoner tasked with preventing the return of the Manifest Demon Emperor would say the same.”

Gugwi’s eyes grew even colder.

“The second is for you to fight.”

Yeon Sohye’s voice became resolute.

“The word ‘Gatekeeper’ doesn’t mean stopping people from entering the Realm of the Threshold. It means preventing the Manifest Demon Emperor from appearing in this world. The one who holds the Spirit Flow Core is the Gatekeeper. Your true duty is to stop the Manifest Demon Emperor. If you agree to that, all Soul-Summoners are obligated to aid you. As a matter of principle... I believe you can stop him.”

Gugwi turned his head and looked at Yeon Sohye.

“Even if you stop the Manifest Demon Emperor, no one in this world will recognize what you've done. In truth, no one knows what happens inside the Realm of the Threshold, or how you’ll fight. It’ll be a lonely battle, just for you.”

Yeon Sohye tightly grasped Gugwi’s hand.

“But if you choose to fight... I’ll support you. I’ll always stand by your side.”

Gugwi looked down at Yeon Sohye’s hand. It was trembling slightly. It meant she was afraid too.

“Captain...”

“Yeah?”

“I won’t die.”

Gugwi’s voice was cold as ice.

“No one — for no reason — can force death on me. I’ll stop the Manifest Demon Emperor... my way. Those who come after the Spirit Flow Core, whether they’re from the Heavenly Sound Cult, the Murim Alliance, or the Cold Wolf Sect... I’ll strike them all down. Can you still follow me?”

Gugwi looked at Yeon Sohye.

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