abcnovels
Chapter 378
Chapter 378
Chapter 378 – That Day (5)
[You brought all of this upon yourself.]
[Ugh……]
Ryu So-wol, her breathing ragged, glared murderously at Bi Yong-heon, the future clan leader of Heaven Vein, who was sitting on the Society Leader’s throne.
How could something like this happen?
In her arms was the severed head of her father, Ryu Gang, who had breathed his last, and around her were the bodies of Moon Vein people, chopped into pieces like hunks of meat.
Such a…… Such a horrific scene.
And another tragedy unfolded before her eyes.
‘Hwa…… Yeon……’
Her long-time companion had been cut in half and died.
Her once clear and bright eyes were now bloodshot, and thick tears of blood flowed down her cheeks.
Unable to even breathe due to the sorrow and anger overwhelming her, she continued to choke and cough, while Bi Yong-heon’s face was full of smiles as he watched her.
[Protect the Society Leader!]
-Rumble rumble!
The guards protecting Ryu So-wol surrounded her with fear-filled eyes.
Although they knew how monstrous the opponent was, having seen the supreme expert Hwa Yeon die from a single sword strike, they were still guards.
They had to protect the Society Leader no matter what.
Im Yuseon, Hwa Yeon’s deputy, spoke to Ryu So-wol.
[Head…… Head, please come to your senses. Now is not the time to grieve.]
[Ugh…… Ugh……]
[Slowly…… slowly regulate your breathing. You might fall into qi deviation from hyperventilation and mental shock.]
Despite her advice, Ryu So-wol couldn’t easily regain her breath.
She had already been in low spirits for nearly three months.
In the midst of that, seeing all her loved ones meet such a tragic end before her eyes, it was impossible for the shock to subside easily.
Then, the sound of clapping was heard.
-Clap clap clap clap clap!
The one clapping was none other than Bi Yong-heon, the perpetrator of this tragedy.
Bi Yong-heon looked at Ryu So-wol, who was choking and unable to control her breathing, and said,
[Your face is even better than I expected. Though he doesn’t seem to like it.]
‘He?’
Im Yuseon frowned.
There was no one visible around Bi Yong-heon.
What was he talking about?
As she wondered, Bi Yong-heon’s face suddenly turned cold and he said,
[Stop blabbering. This is not for you to interfere with.]
‘!?’
What’s going on?
She felt something was odd.
Strangely, every time he opened his mouth, his manner of speech changed, as if a different person was talking.
As she found this peculiar,
[It’s about time for you all to exit the stage.]
-Bang!
Bi Yong-heon, sitting on the throne, suddenly flicked his finger towards one of the guards.
At that moment,
-Thud!
[Gah!]
One guard’s face was pierced, creating a hole.
[Clang!]
As another guard tried to catch the falling guard whose face had been pierced,
-Bang!
The sound of something being flicked was heard again.
With that, another guard’s face was pierced through.
As two guards died instantly from this incredible Finger Flicking Divine Skill, the panicked guards tried to break their formation.
At this, Deputy Im Yuseon shouted,
[We must maintain the formation……]
-Bang!
At that moment, Im Yuseon noticed something flying directly towards her.
But it was already too late to dodge.
She thought she would die with her face pierced, but,
-Smack!
At that moment, someone pushed her, and she narrowly avoided Bi Yong-heon’s Finger Flicking Divine Skill.
The one who pushed her was none other than,
[He-Head?]
It was Ryu So-wol, who until just now had been unable to breathe properly.
Her breathing was still rough, but having somewhat caught her breath, she stood up with a ghastly face stained with tears of blood, and handed her father Ryu Gang’s head, which she had been holding in her arms, to Im Yuseon.
[Guard it.]
[…… I obey your command.]
Guard Deputy Im Yuseon received Ryu Gang’s head.
Then Ryu So-wol walked towards the throne, stepping on the blood-soaked floor of the main hall.
-Step! Step!
Her white formal attire was now stained red with blood.
Watching Ryu So-wol approach, Bi Yong-heon, sitting on the throne, rested his chin on his hand and spoke with a hint of disappointment.
[You’re tougher than I thought. I didn’t think you had the qualities of a leader.]
[Shut up.]
-Shing!
Ryu So-wol drew the sword from the scabbard at her waist.
Although the custom-made sword by the master of Spiritual Sword Sanctuary was not yet complete, this one given by her father was also a precious sword.
Ryu So-wol, holding the drawn sword, looked only at Bi Yong-heon and said,
[Go outside. And summon the leaders of Earth Vein and the other sects.]
At the Society Leader Ryu So-wol’s command, Im Yuseon answered vigorously.
[Yes!]
Although this tragic situation was heartbreaking, the only person who could stop and handle this was Ryu So-wol, the Society Leader of Heaven-Earth Moon Society and the supreme expert.
She had been worried about what would happen if So-wol couldn’t regain her senses due to the severe shock, but this was somewhat relieving.
However,
‘Will Earth Vein and the other sects respond to the summons?’
Most of the dead here seemed to be from Moon Vein and its related sects.
This meant that the possibility of Earth Vein and other sects siding with or joining Heaven Vein couldn’t be ruled out.
Although it was troublesome, they had no choice.
They had to call them, come what may.
But then,
[Stop!]
As Guard Deputy Im Yuseon and the guards were hurrying to leave the main hall, Ryu So-wol’s voice rang out, as if tearing through their ears.
As they hurriedly tried to stop,
‘!?’
Someone appeared as if they had been waiting, swinging a sword imbued with powerful energy.
The sword technique was extremely simple, but its power and range were tremendous, so,
-Slash!
In an instant, it cut through the waists of Guard Deputy Im Yuseon and the other guards, separating their upper bodies from their lower halves.
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
[Aaaaaargh!]
Ryu So-wol screamed at the sight.
Once again, her people had lost their lives right before her eyes.
In the midst of this, Im Yuseon, even as her body was cut in half, tried to lift up and protect the head of Moon Vein’s Master Ryu Gang that she was holding.
-Thud!
[Kuh…… He…… Head…… I’m sorry……]
Im Yuseon, who had prevented Master Ryu Gang’s head from being damaged, breathed her last.
At the same time, Ryu So-wol, who had been heading towards the throne, changed direction and launched herself towards the being who had cut them down.
-Clang!
The sound of swords clashing resounded throughout the main hall, accompanied by a shockwave.
Blue sparks flew in all directions as the two swords, both imbued with powerful energy, collided.
Ryu So-wol shouted at her opponent before her eyes, her voice filled with anguish.
[Yang Incheol!]
The person before her eyes was the clan leader of Earth Vein.
Earth Vein’s Master Yang Incheol spoke with a somewhat bitter expression.
[…… So it has come to this. No matter how much I try to accept it, we can’t entrust the first position to lead an association to a mere woman like you.]
[Just…… Just for such a reason……]
[It’s not just that. Did you think it would make sense for a woman like you to hold a position like the founder, who must lead these numerous sects, no matter how high your martial prowess?]
…… He joined them because he couldn’t accept a woman?
Just for such a reason?
Ryu So-wol’s gaze turned cold.
Then,
-Whoosh!
As her energy rose, Earth Vein’s Master Yang Incheol’s body began to be pushed back.
He had reached the pinnacle-stage of the Transcendent Realm and had devoted himself to internal energy cultivation for much longer than her, so he had been confident that he wouldn’t be inferior in terms of energy at least.
However, the gap between someone who had broken through the wall and a supreme expert was stark.
[Bi…… Bi Yong-heon, hel……]
-Slash!
Before his words could finish, Ryu So-wol’s sword severed Master Yang Incheol’s neck.
Without even uttering a final cry, Yang Incheol’s head rolled on the floor.
-Splurt!
The blood spurting from his severed neck soaked her face.
Regardless, Ryu So-wol stomped on Yang Incheol’s head.
-Crunch!
Then, with ragged breathing, she turned her head and glared at Bi Yong-heon on the throne.
Now she wasn’t even curious about what kind of feelings had driven him to do this.
She only wanted to tear him limb from limb and kill him.
-Swoosh!
Ryu So-wol stomped on the floor and launched herself towards the throne.
If you wanted to shake me and make me fall into qi deviation so you could sit on the throne, I’ll call it a mistake.
Even if I can’t overcome the shock and fall into qi deviation, I’ll definitely kill you before that happens.
At least you……
-Clang!
At that moment, her body was flung backwards.
She flew back more than five zhang before stopping by plunging her sword into the floor.
-Crack!
She looked at Bi Yong-heon with surprised eyes.
Bi Yong-heon, still sitting on the throne, had somehow drawn the sword he had plunged into the floor earlier.
He blocked my sword strike in that state?
Although she had been consumed by extreme anger and had only thought about killing him unconditionally, this single contact was enough to calm her excitement.
‘…… How did his energy become like this?’
His energy had changed from just three months ago.
It had become so strong that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it had almost doubled, which left her puzzled.
What on earth did he do?
As she wondered, Bi Yong-heon opened his mouth.
[Why are you surprised?]
[…… What have you done?]
She questioned, confused by the energy that had changed so dramatically in just three months.
Bi Yong-heon answered in a monotone voice.
[I told you. You brought all of this upon yourself.]
[Cut the crap. No matter how much you cultivate, for your energy to increase this much in just three months……]
-Clink!
[!?]
Her words were suddenly cut off.
This was because of the ornament attached to Bi Yong-heon’s sword hilt.
It was the ornament with intricate patterns that he had taken from her in a bet long ago.
Why on earth was he wearing that on his sword hilt?
Could it be……
[Ah, this? He…… Hmm. It seems he wants to talk directly.]
[What are you talking about……]
At that moment, Bi Yong-heon’s smiling face suddenly turned cold as he spoke.
[Why did you do it?]
[…… What are you talking about?]
[Did you do it to shake me?]
[Shake you? What do you mean?]
[You…… I only looked at you alone. But why…… did you do that? Did you humiliate me?]
[Humiliate? Bi Yong-heon, you……]
[That man! That man! That maaaan!]
At that moment, Bi Yong-heon sprang up from the throne, veins popping on his neck and forehead as he shouted.
Seeing his crazed appearance, Ryu So-wol’s face contorted, forgetting even her anger.
Why had he changed like this?
Was this really the same cheerful and playful man she knew?
[…… Why have you become like this?]
[You still won’t answer my question. Am I not even in your consideration?]
[It’s not about consideration……]
[Is it the man you chose?]
[What? You…… Now…… Don’t tell me……]
[It was beautiful. I wanted that beautiful sight to be by my side so much, but why such a…… Huu…… Huu……]
Seeing Bi Yong-heon trying to control his breathing out of anger, Ryu So-wol bit her lip hard.
She had been wondering why he was acting like this.
But to say that this tragedy was just because he couldn’t have her?
Is that why you took away everything I held dear?
[Just…… Because you couldn’t have me, you took from me……]
[You! You! Are mine! Ryu So-wol!]
-Rumble!
With that shout, an enormous pressure arose, shaking the entire main hall as if an earthquake had struck.
-Shudder!
For a moment, she felt a chill down her spine.
She even felt fear at his appearance, consumed by madness.
She knew how addictive and painful this emotion could be, having loved a man herself and still longing for him.
But his current state was closer to obsession than love.
Then,
-Swish!
As Bi Yong-heon pulled his hand towards somewhere, something flew and landed in his hand.
It was none other than,
[You?]
Ryu So-wol’s eyes shook violently.
What had landed in his hand was the head of Heaven Vein’s Master Bi Hyeong-myeong, with a round wound on the forehead and a severed neck.
Seeing this, she was shocked beyond measure.
The moment she saw the severed head, she was reminded of her father Ryu Gang and felt nauseous.
[Ugh.]
To her, who was suffering, Bi Yong-heon spoke with a crazed smile.
[How could I let you experience the pain alone? Although he was nothing but an empty shell, it was so painful when I beheaded my father with my own hands.]
[…… You’re insane.]
This man is truly mad.
At first, she thought his obsession had gone too far because he liked her too much.
No, she thought that was the cause.
But seeing him behead his own father to experience the same pain as her, she could only think that he had gone beyond madness and become truly insane.
[You…… You just need to die.]
She gripped her sword hilt tightly with both hands and gritted her teeth.
Any trace of sympathy had disappeared.
If he had gone this mad and was consumed by insanity, the only answer was to kill him somehow.
To her, Bi Yong-heon dropped his father’s head to the floor and reached out his hand as if inviting her, saying,
[Let’s be together. We’re the same now, we can understand each other.]
[Stop spouting nonsense. I will never understand you.]
[…… Please don’t make me make that choice.]
[Shut up!]
-Swoosh!
She hated even exchanging words with him anymore, so she raised all her energy and launched herself.
However, given the sudden increase in his energy, the outcome of the battle might have already been decided.
[Haa…… Haa…… Haa……]
Unlike her battered state, Bi Yong-heon was still at ease.
He was even sitting on the throne in the main hall, looking at her with arrogant eyes.
-Thud!
Ryu So-wol plunged her sword into the floor like a cane and shouted while panting,
[Why…… Why…… Aaargh!]
She wanted to kill him so badly, but she couldn’t.
That tormented her terribly.
She wanted to kill him, but he was just toying with her.
Then, Bi Yong-heon, sitting on the throne, said,
[This is your last chance. Let’s be together.]
Ryu So-wol answered his proposal with a single word.
[Die.]
Then So-wol gripped her sword hilt tightly.
She tore her clothes and wrapped them tightly around her wrist, then launched herself towards Bi Yong-heon sitting on the throne.
But at that very moment,
-Thud!
In the blink of an eye, Bi Yong-heon, who had been on the throne, appeared in front of her and plunged his hand into her chest.
[Gah!]
Her bloodshot pupils shook.
In those shaking pupils, countless beings flashed by.
Her mother who died long ago, her brother Ryu Hun, and her father Ryu Gang…… And the faces of the Moon Vein people.
Lastly, the face of a single person appeared.
It was that man.
She had wanted to see him so much…… She missed him so much……
-Crack!
Something appeared in her eyes, which were being consumed by sorrow rather than death.
It was her heart, beating loudly.
Who would have thought she’d see this while alive?
To her, who couldn’t speak, Bi Yong-heon said with tears in his eyes and veins popping on his face,
[The one you should hold in this heart is me.]
[Ha…… Ha…… Ha……]
[Don’t worry. One way or another, we’ll be together forever, So-wol.]
-Crunch
As soon as those words ended, she saw the sight of her heart being crushed by his hand.
The heart that had been beating as if still alive no longer beat.
Is this how I die……
-Boom!
At that moment.
With a tremendous roar, the ceiling of the main hall collapsed.
Everywhere suddenly darkened and filled with dust, obscuring vision, and she closed her eyes as she fell forward.
-Thud!
Is this how I die?
Then, she heard someone’s scream that sounded like Bi Yong-heon’s voice.
[Aaaaargh!]
After several screams, someone embraced her.
She opened her eyes with difficulty.
It was truly strange.
Her heart had been ripped out, so she was as good as dead, but was this the final burst of consciousness before death?
The person she had longed to see appeared.
It was the man.
[Ugh……]
She saw him…… She saw him looking at her with such sorrowful eyes, sobbing.
Is he grieving my death?
She wanted to say something, but no voice came out.
-I…… wanted…… to be…… your bride……
So-wol moved her lips with difficulty.
And she wiped the tears flowing down his cheeks with her fingertips.
She wanted to comfort him in his sorrow.
Even if it was for the last time.
The man held her hand tightly and said,
[You were beautiful…… So beautiful, like a red peony in bloom.]
Ah…… He saw.
He saw it.
Then she could no longer resist her heavy eyelids.
As her eyes slowly closed, she saw him roaring in sorrow.