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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Although Yang Kwai and Yang Jeong shouted for Namgung-Woo to retreat, they instinctively edged forward, ready and poised to spring into action.
Namgung-Woo had protected them from the Wraiths and even demonstrated the proper use of Lightning Qi.
He wasn’t just a benefactor; he was practically a teacher.
The Yang brothers were men of their word. They always made sure to repay their debts.
As they watched Namgung-Woo confront the Form Snatching Wraith, they waited for the perfect moment to step in and assist.
Retreating could be more dangerous than advancing. Even Namgung-Woo might show an opening while withdrawing.
They needed to create a gap, to provide him with a safe escape route.
That was their plan.
But their swords remained still, unable to find an opening in the furious exchange.
Was it because the battle was too fierce?
No.
It was because the battle was completely one-sided.
The Form Snatching Wraith, a creature that could shrug off even a Peak Realm master’s Sword Qi, seemed like a mere plaything in Namgung-Woo’s hands.
He effortlessly rained down blows and each strike left a mark on the Wraith.
He was clearly in a different league from the brothers, who were still struggling at the cusp of the Peak Realm.
Then, when the Form Snatching Wraith, seemingly enraged, unleashed a furious barrage of attacks…
…the brothers finally saw their chance.
Until Namgung-Woo shifted his stance, gripping his sword with both hands.
A faint glow radiated from his hands, flowing along the blade and weaving a web of light that shimmered and coalesced, enveloping the sword in a radiant aura..
The brothers, upon witnessing this, finally understood what it was.
“Aura… Qi?”
“…Sword Aura. It’s Sword Aura…!”
Sword Qi that had transcended the level of merely injuring opponents and reached the level of forming a tangible aura.
The pinnacle of martial arts, a testament to a Transcendent Realm master’s power.
It was an unbelievable achievement.
An astounding display of talent.
To see a young man, barely in his twenties, manifest Sword Aura so effortlessly was surreal, even in a world where the impossible had become possible.
But that surreal feeling was quickly dispelled by the vertical slash that followed.
It was a beautiful strike.
And an overwhelmingly powerful one.
A streak of platinum lightning flashed, cleaving the seemingly invincible Form Snatching Wraith in two.
The Wraith, known for its ability to shift its form at will, contorted grotesquely, but this transformation wasn’t intentional.
The Sword Aura, blazing with platinum light, burned through the Wraith’s incorporeal form and erased it from existence.
[Grrrrk… Graaagh…!]
A scream, not filled with the mocking laughter it had directed at its prey, but with pure agony, erupted from the Wraith’s twisted form.
Its spectral body began to collapse, shrinking inwards as it emitted an unearthly shriek.
“F-Fellow martial artist! Get back!”
“You’ll die if you stay there!”
Yang Jeong and Yang Kwai shouted in terror.
A dying Form Snatching Wraith didn’t go down alone. It was like a vengeful ghost, pulling others down with it as it spiraled into its demise.
A truly malicious yokai.
This was partly due to its ability to become intangible which rendered ordinary attacks useless, but the true danger lay in its death throes.
It would unleash a wave of demonic Qi, engulfing everything around it and dragging its victims down with it.
Even a Transcendent Realm master with Sword Aura wouldn’t necessarily die from a Form Snatching Wraith’s self-destruction, but they’d at least suffer internal injuries.
In severe cases, they could be consumed by the demonic Qi and lose their martial arts abilities and succumb to Qi Deviation.
Peng Mu-ho and Peng Ha-ryeong were in such a sorry state because they’d barely survived the aftermath of the first Wraith’s self-destruction.
“Damn it! Too late!”
Yang Kwai shouted in despair, watching the Wraith’s spectral body swell ominously.
And at that moment, the twin brothers threw themselves forward.
They knew they were putting themselves in far greater danger than the mysterious master they were trying to save, but they chose to repay their debt.
Even if he was a Transcendent Realm master, he was young, which meant his internal energy reserves were limited.
While his extraordinary talent allowed him to wield Sword Aura with such remarkable skill, there was a limit to the amount of internal energy he could possess…a limit dictated by time and experience.
The Sword Qi he’d displayed so far was far beyond someone his age, but even with vast reserves, he must be nearing his limit after unleashing so much Sword Qi and then Sword Aura.
The fact that he stood motionless after that incredible strike meant he’d exhausted his energy and was temporarily incapacitated.
Without a word, the brothers exchanged glances and decided on their roles.
‘I’ll grab him and pull him back.’
‘Then I’ll unleash my strongest attack and try to disrupt the demonic Qi.’
But Namgung-Woo, once again, exceeded their expectations.
His sleeves fluttered.
*Boom!*
The ground trembled.
Infinite Steps, Heaven-Shaking Step.
He channeled the power of his step into a concentrated burst of Qi, a fighting step that pushed back the incoming wave of demonic energy.
The force of his Lightning Qi, like a massive cliff, stopped the demonic Qi in its tracks.
Sparks flew as the two energies collided.
A single step.
It was an awe-inspiring display of profound internal energy and mastery of footwork.
Peng Mu-ho, who was standing just behind the Yang brothers, gasped, momentarily forgetting his injuries.
The collision of platinum lightning and the swirling gray demonic Qi was like a scene from a mythical battle.
[A true master’s footwork was on a transcendent level.]
It was a moment of realization, a true understanding of the famous martial arts saying.
“Truly… a different level of footwork…”
Yang Kwai’s involuntary murmur echoed the sentiments of everyone present.
Namgung-Woo, oblivious to their reactions, was focused on his own achievement.
‘Perfect control of Fighting Qi.’
He’d aimed to generate just enough force to stop the demonic wave.
And he’d succeeded.
He’d seen with his Ever-Clear Vision, calculated the necessary force, and channeled it through his step.
The three actions flowed seamlessly, without a single wasted movement.
He’d finally reached a level where he could wield his internal energy as effortlessly as his own limbs.
As the clashing energies dissipated and returned to the natural world, Namgung-Woo turned and gestured towards the Ghost Gate.
“Should we close that now?”
Unlike the Yang brothers, who were still reeling from the spectacle, Peng Mu-ho, whose experience gave him composure, quickly recovered.
“The sooner, the better. Ghost Gates widen over time, and stronger yokai will emerge.”
“Do you know how to close it?”
“Just destroy it. Before they open, Ghost Gates are just masses of energy, impervious to martial arts. But once open, they take on a physical form. Sword Qi is enough to destroy them.”
“Then I’ll take care of it.”
“…I’ll leave it to you.”
Namgung-Woo, having already observed the Ghost Gate with his Ever-Clear Vision, asked the question only to confirm what he already knew.
This was his first time encountering a Ghost Gate, a phenomenon that might hold the key to his return.
So, he was meticulous in his approach.
The Ghost Gate looked surprisingly ordinary, resembling a traditional Eastern gate. But the malevolent energy emanating from it was anything but ordinary.
Just approaching it made his skin crawl.
“What’s this?”
He noticed something strange and muttered to himself.
A faint, unfamiliar energy clung to the surface of the Ghost Gate. It felt different from the demonic Qi emanating from within.
‘Is this normal for a Ghost Gate?’
If he’d seen other Ghost Gates before, he would have immediately recognized the anomaly. But this was his first.
Fortunately, he had an almost unfair advantage. With his Ever-Clear Vision activated, his eyes glowed with a pale, bluish-white light.
‘I knew it. Someone tampered with it.’
Traces of deliberate manipulation.
What did it mean? He focused his Heavenly Thunder True Qi and extended his hand.
The faint energy barrier surrounding the Ghost Gate dissolved like a bubble.
“This…”
He frowned after finally seeing the true nature of the Ghost Gate.
‘That’s not my world.’
He peered beyond the swirling chaos at the gate’s entrance and knew instantly.
It was a grotesque world, a realm filled with bizarre creatures, unlike anything he had ever seen on Earth.
He closed his eyes and blocked out the disturbing images.
A wave of nausea washed over him, and he pressed a hand to his forehead and circulating Vast Sky True Qi to calm his roiling mind.
“Haa…”
It needed to be destroyed.
This Ghost Gate was unusual. He needed to observe more Ghost Gates in the future. But there was no reason to leave this one open.
He poured Heavenly Thunder True Qi into his sword.
Lightning Flash Thirteen Sword, Eighth Form: Thunderous Destruction.
A strike of pure yang energy, embodying the principles of creation and destruction, slammed into the Ghost Gate.
That was all it took.
Unlike the Form Snatching Wraith, the Ghost Gate didn’t explode.
It simply vanished, erased from existence as if the world itself had rejected it.
Ghost Gates didn’t belong here.
The moment Namgung-Woo broke the illusion, the world expelled the foreign object.
“One last thing…”
The Ghost Gate was sealed.
The battle was over.
But there was one more thing he needed to do.
He walked towards Peng Mu-ho, who was tending to the only person injured in the battle.
To be specific, he approached Peng Ha-ryeong, who was still breathing heavily.
He stopped five paces away.
“Stop right there.”
“Halt.”
“Keep your distance from the young miss.”
Three martial artists surrounded him.
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