Chapter 53: Flame Sword Alliance (3)

The Blood Orbs and the Blue Blood Unit could not break through the Silver Spirit Illusion Technique in the end.

Yeon Sohye let out a sigh of relief and turned to Gugwi.

“Now we can catch our breath a little.”

“They won’t give up this easily. What should we do? Especially the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit—he seems to have sensed something.”

There was still vigilance in Gugwi’s voice. Blood seeped from the wounds on his shoulders and back, but thanks to the healing power of the Spirit Flow Core, his life was not in danger.

Yeon Sohye nodded.

“Let’s escape at night. Daytime is too dangerous, but at night, we might just be able to pull it off.”

“So Ryeonghwa!”

Yeon Sohye summoned the Spirit Union and spread the Silver Spirit Illusion Technique.

A silver mist enveloped the two of them, growing so dense that even moonlight could not penetrate it.

Gugwi activated the Spirit Flow Core. When the blue light that surged from his Dantian merged with the Silver Spirit Illusion Technique, the mist thickened rapidly, making it feel as though they were walking inside clouds.

“With this, even the Blue Blood Unit will find it hard to track us.”

Yeon Sohye spoke with a satisfied expression.

But just as they tried to slip through a crevice in the rocks, Gugwi’s Spirit Flow Core quivered faintly.

“Wait.”

Gugwi grabbed Yeon Sohye’s arm and stopped her.

“It’s the Bloodscent Fiend.”

Behind a distant rock, a black shadow lay hidden like a dead thing. But the Living Spirits that had burst out from the Blood Orbs drifted in the air, standing guard.

“This way.”

Yeon Sohye whispered and turned toward the opposite rock crevice.

The two of them moved slowly, holding their breath, careful to place their steps on their toes so as not to make a sound.

“There too…”

Gugwi lifted his head and pointed upward.

Two members of the Blue Blood Unit were keeping watch from atop a tall rock, their eyes scanning the valley below.

“Wait.”

Yeon Sohye pulled Gugwi into the shadow of a rock.

One of the Blue Blood members began to descend suspiciously, staring in the direction where they had been.

“Something’s strange.”

“What is?”

“The mist is too thick. Let’s check it out.”

The voice of the Blue Blood member drew closer. His footsteps struck the rock with dull thuds.

Gugwi and Yeon Sohye exchanged glances.

With her lips, Yeon Sohye mouthed the words: ‘Wait.’

The Blue Blood member drew within just a few steps of the rock they were hiding behind. His breathing was close enough to hear.

At that moment, Gugwi activated the Spirit Flow Core more forcefully.

As the blue light fused completely with the Silver Spirit Illusion Technique, the mist came alive like a living creature, wrapping itself around the Blue Blood members. Their sight, hearing, and even their sense of smell were cut off—without them even realizing it.

“There’s nothing here, right?”

“Just mist. It’s common in the mountains.”

The Blue Blood members spoke in disappointment and turned back.

Once their footsteps faded away, Gugwi and Yeon Sohye quietly slipped out of the crevice. The mist of the Silver Spirit Illusion Technique concealed them entirely, opening a path toward the Black Forest Fortress.

“Whew…”

Yeon Sohye let out a sigh of relief.

“The Spirit Flow Core is really incredible. I didn’t think it would even work on martial artists. It even seemed to completely suppress their Spiritual Energy.”

“I just felt like it might work. If it hadn’t, we would’ve been exposed.”

“If it hadn’t worked, we would’ve been exposed regardless. What they used was Spiritual Energy. Their ears can catch even the sound of clothes brushing in the wind. Luckily, the Spirit Flow Core worked. Let’s go.”

The two quietly left the rocks and made their way toward the Black Forest Fortress.

Neither the Bloodscent Fiend nor the Blue Blood Unit martial artists realized the two had escaped.

When they reached a small village on the outskirts of the Black Forest Fortress, Gugwi and Yeon Sohye heard the sound of a fierce battle.

Clang!

The clash of swords tore through the night air. Heavy breathing and footsteps followed.

“That way.”

Gugwi gestured toward the source of the sound.

Inside the village alley, martial artists in black clothes surrounded a man.

The besieged man held twin swords. From the Fire Spirit Sword in his left hand surged a red energy, while from the Wind Wave Sword in his right hand flowed a blue energy. His sharp eyes, firm jawline, and the battle scar etched across his left cheek stood out clearly under the moonlight.

“Don’t get involved. We’re being hunted too, who are we to worry about someone else?”

As Yeon Sohye turned to leave, Gugwi’s Spirit Flow Core activated. A faint tremor arose from his Dantian.

“Wait.”

He grabbed Yeon Sohye’s arm.

“That man is a Soul-Summoner. And at a pretty high level. Strong enough to fight on par with a Captain.”

Through Gugwi’s eyes, the Soul Force of the Fire-Wind Swordsman was visible. He commanded two Spirit Union souls. A master at the Fourth Level of Spiritual Sensitivity.

At those words, Yeon Sohye also grew interested and kept watching.

After a moment, she tilted her head and spoke.

“This is strange. They’re all Heavenly Sound Cult people. Why are they fighting among themselves?”

The Soul-Summoning Arts of the Heavenly Sound Cult were far more brutal than those of the Cold Wolf Sect. They forced spirits into submission and exploited the pain of souls. It was easy to tell they belonged to the Heavenly Sound Cult at a glance.

Yeon Sohye let out a faint laugh, as if she understood something.

“He’s… a defector from the Heavenly Sound Cult.”

Blazing Firestorm!

The Fire-Wind Swordsman swung the Fire Spirit Sword wide.

Flames surged from the sword qi, engulfing two Heavenly Sound Cult martial artists ahead. They screamed and quickly retreated, but their garments caught fire, sending up smoke.

At the same time, the other martial artists struck all at once. Swords flashed from left and right, slashing toward the Fire-Wind Swordsman.

“Traitor! If you defy the doctrine, you die!”

A Heavenly Sound Cult Soul-Summoner smirked strangely as he spat out black blood. As though performing a ritual, he traced symbols in the air with both hands, chanting eerie incantations.

The black blood twisted into a form midair and flew at the Fire-Wind Swordsman.

In that instant, the Fire-Wind Swordsman’s movements dulled suddenly. His face turned pale, and cold sweat formed on his forehead.

“Urgh!”

The Fire-Wind Swordsman clutched his head, groaning in pain.

Gugwi frowned as he watched.

“What did he just do? What’s that black blood?”

“It’s human blood. From someone dead for more than three days. Hardened and coagulated, then dissolved into liquid.”

Yeon Sohye spoke with a disgusted expression.

“Is that some kind of ritual?”

“The Soul-Summoners of the Heavenly Sound Cult carry Yin Parasites inside their bodies. If they betray the cult, the Yin Parasite flares up and tears through their brain. The brain of a Soul-Summoner who dies from it turns into white porridge. Right now, he triggered the Yin Parasite.”

Gugwi’s face stiffened.

“My father was fine though?”

“Because he knew how to remove the Yin Parasite. But that man, betraying the cult without even knowing how to get rid of it… it’s like he’s set on dying.”

Yeon Sohye clicked her tongue.

Gugwi furrowed his brows even more.

Whether the Fire-Wind Swordsman died or the Yin Parasite consumed him didn’t matter. But Gugwi’s eyes saw something else.

The two Spirit Union souls of the Fire-Wind Swordsman writhed in torment, as though bound by invisible chains. The Fire Spirit Warrior and the Wind Sword Wolf grew faint and twisted in agony.

Triggering the Yin Parasite seemed to act as a restriction on the Soul-Summoning Arts.

“Those spirits…”

Anger burned in Gugwi’s voice. He could not stand to see spirits being tortured.

“Are you thinking of interfering?”

Yeon Sohye spoke as if to say it wasn’t necessary.

Storm of Blades!

The Fire-Wind Swordsman unleashed a flurry of strikes with the Wind Wave Sword.

His unpredictable sword trajectories drove back the enemies, but he was being overwhelmed.

“Urgh!”

A sword struck his shoulder. Blood flowed, yet he did not retreat.

“Wind Sword Wolf!”

He tried to summon the Wind Sword Wolf, but because of the Yin Parasite’s seizure, the spirit could not manifest properly. It appeared faintly, then vanished again.

“Finish him!”

The martial artists of the Heavenly Sound Cult charged forward with swords raised.

The Fire-Wind Swordsman, despair written on his face, crossed his twin blades to block.

Gugwi unleashed the Cloud Flow Spear: Radiant Burst. The blazing light from his spear tip pierced three Heavenly Sound Cult martial artists. They collapsed without even a scream.

“What the?!”

The remaining cult martial artists turned in shock. From within the silver mist emerged Gugwi, and their faces froze in horror.

“You are… the Captain of the Shadow Moon Unit!”

“So there are still some who recognize me? Am I that famous already?”

Yeon Sohye attacked the Soul-Summoner of the Heavenly Sound Cult with So Ryeonghwa’s Silver Spirit Sword Technique. Silver sword qi shot like lightning and pierced his chest.

Gugwi activated the Spirit Flow Core. Blue light burst from his Dantian, cleansing the black blood that lingered in the air. The black mist vanished the instant it touched the blue light.

The Fire-Wind Swordsman stared at Gugwi in astonishment.

His Spirit Union souls began to grow clear again.

“Fire Spirit Warrior! Wind Sword Wolf!”

Once the two spirits were restored, the Fire-Wind Swordsman’s swordsmanship returned to life. The Fire Spirit Sword and the Wind Wave Sword crossed and cut down the remaining Heavenly Sound Cult martial artists.

Gugwi struck his spear down upon the one who had spat out the black blood, the man with the scorpion tattoo on his forehead.

Celestial Cloud Strike. The spear pierced straight through his crown and into the ground.

Silence fell.

The Fire-Wind Swordsman sheathed his blades and approached Gugwi. Awe lingered in his eyes.

“My name is Jang Unhyeok. Thank you for saving my life. But… such power can only be one thing… the Spirit Flow Core? The one causing all the stir lately?”

He scanned Gugwi from head to toe as he spoke.

Yeon Sohye revealed her wariness.

“You’re a defector from the Heavenly Sound Cult, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. Captain of the Shadow Moon Unit. I’ve heard many rumors, but you’re younger and prettier than I expected.”

“Cut the nonsense. The nearest Soul Sect from here is the Cold Wolf Sect.”

She pointed roughly in a direction.

“Go that way. If you’ve defected from the Heavenly Sound Cult, there’s only one place to go. You’ll be investigated by the Murim Alliance first. But unless you’re extremely heinous, they’ll release you. So don’t worry too much.”

But Jang Unhyeok did not leave. Instead, he trailed after Gugwi.

“Go your way. We have enough to deal with already.”

Yeon Sohye spoke with irritation.

“I’ve got nowhere to go, so this works out. Besides, I’d like to borrow some help from the Spirit Flow Core. Word is, just being near it helps a Soul-Summoner progress, right?”

Jang Unhyeok grinned.

“If words aren’t enough… how can we trust you? What proof do you have that you’re not a Heavenly Sound Cult spy?”

Yeon Sohye reached for her sword, but Jang Unhyeok raised his hand to stop her. Then, in a tone more solemn than before, he spoke.

“My son… he is a Vessel.”

Yeon Sohye flinched at those words.

“What is a Vessel?”

Gugwi asked curiously.

“You are the Vessel.”

Yeon Sohye said heavily.

“A body that can contain the Spirit Flow Core. In any Soul Sect, Vessels are separated and specially managed. The Heavenly Sound Cult in particular turns them into living corpses, paralyzed in body, stored away.”

She looked at Jang Unhyeok and asked.

“How old is your son?”

“Thirteen.”

Jang Unhyeok nodded.

“With my child dragged away like that, how could I remain in the Heavenly Sound Cult? But I don’t have the strength to oppose the cult leader either… So I just fled. And now they’re hunting me down.”

His voice carried both fury and despair.

Jang Unhyeok turned to Gugwi.

“Give me food. I can be useful. I’m good at errands. And my Soul-Summoning Arts are decent. With the Spirit Flow Core, you know what that means. My Spirit Union warriors… they were all once strong martial artists, men who only knew the sword.”

Gugwi stared at Jang Unhyeok for a long time.

In his eyes, he saw sincerity. The desperate will of a father wanting to save his son.

“Didn’t I just say? How can we trust you?”

Yeon Sohye narrowed her eyes.

“Can anyone lie in front of the Spirit Flow Core?”

Jang Unhyeok smiled faintly.

But Gugwi did not smile. Like a vision, he rode into Jang Unhyeok’s Spirit Union soul, the Fire Spirit Warrior, and saw a few faint lights. Lights that had not entered the Realm of the Threshold… They seemed to be Jang Unhyeok’s parents and younger sister. Living Spirits… transformed into Soul Transformation, unable to pass to the afterlife.

Jang Unhyeok was either a Soul-Summoner who had suffered unbearable tragedy, or one who had turned his own parents and sister into Soul Transformation souls and even handed his son over to the Heavenly Sound Cult.

The scar on Jang Unhyeok’s left cheek stood out even sharper under the moonlight.

“Is it revenge you seek? Against the Heavenly Sound Cult?”

Gugwi asked.

“Of course. But alone, there are limits, and I don’t yet have the strength. Even if I throw myself on the Cold Wolf Sect, revenge is a distant dream. But now that I’ve met the master of the Spirit Flow Core, I must beg for your help. Even if it means kneeling.”

Jang Unhyeok’s eyes blazed.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.