“Are you the Beast King?”
“I am the Beast King. It’s such a ridiculous title that I’m not too fond of it.”
Gu Mo-seol internally groaned as he observed Ho Cheon-an. He couldn’t gauge Ho Cheon-an’s level at all. Although he felt slightly tense realizing that he was at least equal to him as an expert, he soon calmed himself due to the number of entities visible in the distance.
He had expected seven entities, but there were only five.
“Practically, it’s more like four.”
Gu Mo-seol dismissed Seo Gong, who was holding Seo I-ryeong’s hand, from his calculations. Being well-versed in the Blood Sect’s circumstances, Gu Mo-seol knew that the Red Blood Rat had weakened over a long period due to prolonged blood loss. Unless they were continuously fed spiritual medicine from somewhere, it would be impossible to recover the lost strength.
The entities he had to face were at most four. He could handle them easily with the Array Formation Team nurtured within the Black Forest Isle.
Not only that.
He also had twenty Blood Monsters at his disposal, so there was no reason to feel scared at all.
“It is only rightful that the entities, originally assets of the Blood Sect, be taken back by the Blood Forest Alliance, which is an ally and the gathering place of the descendants of the Blood Sect. If you tell me how you charmed them and return them, at least a peaceful death shall be promised.”
“Hahaha.”
Ho Cheon-an burst out laughing.
“The Blood Sect was never the owner of the entities in the first place. The Blood Sect merely tricked the entities and locked them up for a time. Now that the entities have realized that the Blood Sect is their prison and that they’ve been deceived, using shabby blood skills is of no use.”
“You’ve led the entities here, yet you’re spouting nonsense.”
Gu Mo-seol raised his hand.
Though he intended to threaten, Gu Mo-seol didn’t expect Ho Cheon-an to reveal his secret techniques either.
At Gu Mo-seol’s signal, the Blood People handling the Blood Monsters whispered a command, and the Blood Monsters began to roar threateningly.
For anyone who had witnessed the power of the Blood Monsters even once, it was a spine-chilling sight. Gu Mo-seol, with a satisfied smile as he gazed at Ho Cheon-an, could only harden his expression immediately.
Despite the roar of over twenty Blood Monsters, Ho Cheon-an showed no sign of disturbance.
Then, Ho Cheon-an opened his mouth.
“Do you know why I came all the way to the Black Forest Isle?”
“What?”
“It’s because I’ve heard that the Blood Monsters were gathering here. More precisely, it’s to grant eternal rest to those who, while covered in the blood of entities and human greed, have lost their dignity as humans.”
“Hah, you came all this way to get rid of the Blood Monsters? Because that’s what humans should do? That’s truly absurd.”
Gu Mo-seol chuckled.
“What does it matter how the Blood Monsters were made? The world belongs to the strong, and Blood Monsters are power itself! In this chaotic era, you dare to talk to me about human dignity?”
“It seems you are under some misconception. I had no intention of convincing you at all.”
The Martial Artists of the Blood Forest Alliance and the Blood People laughed softly, mocking Ho Cheon-an. The one standing alone in front of the Black Forest Isle, stating that he needed to grant eternal rest to the Blood Monsters, claimed he had no intention of persuading them?
From their perspective, it felt as though Ho Cheon-an was just saying anything because things weren’t going as he had anticipated.
However.
“I will make you all give eternal rest to the Blood Monsters.”
Ho Cheon-an’s following words silenced their laughter.
“However, this conversation has revealed your thoughts well. You follow neither righteousness nor law, but only pursue power.”
The Martial Artists and Blood People of the Blood Forest Alliance looked at each other in disbelief. Seeing everyone display expressions of shock, it seemed they hadn’t misheard anything.
Just as Gu Mo-seol was about to say something incredulous, a rumble sounded.
Rumble!
A few Martial Artists and Blood People looked up at the sky. It was a clear day without a cloud in sight; where was that thunder coming from?
Rumble!
Only after hearing the sound again did they realize it was coming from Ho Cheon-an.
No, it had dawned on them.
The immense wave of Qi radiating from Ho Cheon-an struck their bodies heavily.
Gu Mo-seol’s body trembled.
As an expert of Hyeong-gyeong, Gu Mo-seol distinctly felt how immense the power emitted by Ho Cheon-an was. How could such strength reside in just one person’s body? How could one person handle more power than dozens combined?
Overwhelmed by a power so great that it was unimaginable, Gu Mo-seol was amazed, but it was still too early to be surprised.
The very strength that astonished Gu Mo-seol was not even Ho Cheon-an’s full power.
Boom!!!
With a thunderous explosion that seemed to tear the sky apart, Ho Cheon-an’s power erupted.
The world itself trembled from the aftereffects.
The grains of sand on the beach began to float into the air, and the direction of the waves that had been slowly washing towards the shore changed.
It was a colossal force that twisted even the natural order, as objects fell from high to low, and seawater surged from the sea onto the shore!
“If you choose to pursue power, you must never forget this.”
The Black Rib that had been on Ho Cheon-an’s head couldn’t withstand the enormous power and floated into the sky, revealing gold eyes filled with the purest thunderous energy.
“That I exist in this world.”
“Attack! Attack him!”
With the desperate cry of Gu Mo-seol, the Blood Monsters rushed at Ho Cheon-an all at once.
As Ho Cheon-an watched the charging Blood Monsters, he felt not anger or malice, but rather pity.
Because it struck him anew that the Blood Monsters, even stripped of the basic fear that one might expect from living beings, were mere killing machines following orders too blindly.
The self-assured experts of the Blood Forest Alliance, and even Gu Mo-seol himself, were paralyzed with fear, yet the Blood Monsters charged forward without hesitation.
“Rest easy.”
As Ho Cheon-an murmured that, lightning gathered in his dual palms. It was such an extraordinary light that even the common folk and those who trained in martial arts were forced to look away due to its brilliance.
“Ah…”
From a distance, Seo I-ryeong watched in awe with her mouth agape. The reason why strong energy is often compared to constellations is that it indeed emits light.
Though the type of energy varies slightly, strong energy shines the brightest when more pure and densely compressed.
However, that shimmering produced by condensed energy could only be discovered as extremely small particles, even in the totality of destructive powers and the essence of martial arts, hence the comparison to constellations.
Even the shards of light, just fragments, from a blade could cut rocks and slice steel.
Then—
What kind of power could a radiant strong energy that almost seemed visible from a thousand miles away hold?
Seo I-ryeong soon deduced the answer.
Ho Cheon-an extended his palms toward the foremost Blood Monster.
Flash!
With the light, all sound vanished from the world.
Instinctively shielding her eyes, a fierce backlash of wind and a shower of sand engulfed Seo I-ryeong.
In the aftermath, she lost her words.
She would believe it if someone said a meteor fell from the sky, for a massive crater appeared in the sands. Most of the Blood Monsters ensnared in the impact lay sprawled across the sandy beach, and the few that had remained standing were also disoriented, failing to aim accurately.
Having caused such a disastrous scene, Ho Cheon-an placed his hand on the head of a fallen Blood Monster. The thrashing movements of the Blood Monster, writhing in pain, gradually quieted.
After closing the eyes of that Blood Monster, Ho Cheon-an moved towards the next one. Gu Mo-seol barely managed to gather his wits and shouted.
“You mustn’t let the Blood Monsters fall! The members of the entire isle will charge together! The seven island masters, prepare to attack in unison!”
The Martial Artists and Blood People of the Blood Forest Alliance, not wishing to fight against the destructive Ho Cheon-an, soon realized they had no other option.
Turning back, all they saw were the isle and the sea. What would be different if they fled across the ocean, leaving the Blood Monsters behind? Only a more definite defeat and death awaited them.
“It’s true that the Beast King is an extraordinary possessor of divine techniques, but if he has shown such power, his remaining energy must be but a handful! If we give the Blood Monsters time to recover, we can still have a chance!”
The Martial Artists and Blood People of the Blood Forest Alliance steeled themselves. Ho Cheon-an, leisurely moving as if strolling while taking the lives of the Blood Monsters one by one, clearly appeared different from the earlier display of power.
“Attack!”
Whaaaaaaaa!!!
Countless Martial Artists and Blood People charged at Ho Cheon-an. Having just granted eternal rest to the fourth Blood Monster, Ho Cheon-an let out a long sigh at the sight of the rampaging Martial Artists.
Initially, he had wanted to tend to the suffering Blood Monsters first, yet they couldn’t contain themselves and rushed forward.
Moreover, who was the one exhausted?
Rumble!!
Once more, the sound of thunder rang out, causing the advancing Martial Artists to falter.
The rising grains of sand, Ho Cheon-an’s fluttering attire, and his eyes turning from black to golden—devoid of the Black Rib, the Martial Artists of the Blood Forest Alliance realized that Ho Cheon-an wasn’t even the slightest bit exhausted compared to their expectations.
But it was too late for that realization.
Ho Cheon-an’s feet had already extended forward.
And in the next moment, Ho Cheon-an appeared amidst the Martial Artists of the isle.
A Martial Artist who had been ten steps away was astounded and tried to scream but was unable to even do that.
The shockwave caused by Ho Cheon-an’s movement, breaking the sound barrier, struck the Martial Artist late.
In that instant when the shockwave swept away a portion of the isle’s Martial Artists, Ho Cheon-an’s form split into seven. Each of the seven figures exhibited seven movements once more.
This was the final form of the Seven Thunder Defense Technique.
The Seven Extreme Seven Thunder Transformation.
BoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoom!!!
Forty-nine movements. And forty-nine shockwaves. The power of the shockwaves scattered the grains of sand like hidden weapons.
“Ahh!”
“Ahhh!!”
Gu Mo-seol couldn’t gather his thoughts.
It truly was. In the blink of an eye.
The participants of the Blood Forest Alliance, who had been rallying themselves with shouts just moments ago, found themselves swept away by the shockwaves in the blink of an eye, with grains of sand piercing their bodies as they fell.
Amid cries of pain and anguish, mingled with the desperate screams echoing all around him, to Gu Mo-seol, it felt oddly distant.
There stood merely a few dozen left.
And among those Martial Artists, not a single one harbored the will to fight any longer.
“Help! Save me!”
One Martial Artist, terrified and losing his rationality, fled without a plan. Ho Cheon-an calmly raised his hand as he observed that fleeing individual.
The manifested lightning effortlessly pierced through the Martial Artist’s body.
“Ahhh! No!!”
With a sorrowful scream, the Martial Artist fell, energy escaping his body.
Seeing that scene, the already pale faces of the remaining Martial Artists became even paler.
They quickly understood it was because just moments ago, Ho Cheon-an had targeted their dantian and destroyed it.
“You… who are you! What on earth is your true identity!”
“Me?”
In the face of Gu Mo-seol’s desperate questions, Ho Cheon-an looked down at his body, which was sending up wisps of smoke. While his Qi had protected him, he had broken through the sound barrier without any protection, and how could he remain entirely unscathed from the aftereffects?
Therefore, Ho Cheon-an’s body was burning due to the hundreds of degrees of heat caused by friction. However, his body, having achieved defenses akin to the indestructible diamond, could easily withstand that temperature, and the garments he wore were all made from celestial silks or similar treasures, preventing them from igniting.
Ho Cheon-an couldn’t help it; even he thought his physique was quite astonishing, and he couldn’t help but smile wryly.
“Where on earth did a monster like you pop out from!”
“…A monster.”
Ho Cheon-an replayed Gu Mo-seol’s words in his mind.
Having been trapped in regret, infatuation, and despair, with martial arts and body crafted as if struggling, perhaps calling himself a monster wasn’t entirely wrong.
Yet in Ho Cheon-an’s heart, there was a phrase he wanted to utter.
“I am merely… an old man dreaming of a comeback.”
Gu Mo-seol and the Blood Forest Alliance experts couldn’t comprehend his words, but Ho Cheon-an nodded at his own statement.
Having been pushed into a new world by the word “comeback” from another version of himself, Ho Cheon-an bore a persistent thought in his mind.
If he rose again, what should he do?
The Sacheon Outcasts had all scattered, the regions of Sacheon and Yunnan were in ruins due to war, and all his precious companions had closed their eyes; thus, what was he to move for?
Merely having come out into the world, driven by the mere word “comeback,” as he roamed the world, he finally realized the answer to that comeback.
It was because new connections had arisen.
Seo Gong, who loved to be held and cuddled, and the entities who sought to be petted. The wayward Seo I-ryeong, who appeared casually and ate well. The sneaky Namgung Bin and the despondent Jo Yong-sang, weighed down by the grim reality of the martial world.
All were new connections, and those connections sprouted fresh sprouts in Ho Cheon-an’s heart, which had remained just dust.
The name of that sprout was hope.
He wanted Seo Gong and the entities to live peacefully, and he wished for heroes like Seo I-ryeong and Jo Yong-sang to continue helping people happily.
Having simply wandered the world, driven by the vague connections with the entities through Seo Gong and his pity for the Blood Monsters, Ho Cheon-an had finally found a clear purpose.
A clear goal to set right this tumultuous world.
“Thus, the remnants of the Blood Sect that gather to once again disturb the world shall… be sent off.”
“Uaaaaaaaaah!!”
Gu Mo-seol charged forward like a fit of rage, having realized that their only way to survive was to take down Ho Cheon-an. Sixty Martial Artists surged forward, igniting their energies.
However, it didn’t take long for Ho Cheon-an to shatter their heavily energized weapons and cripple their dantian.
Ultimately, only Gu Mo-seol was left standing, proof of his resolve, but even when dozens of experts attacked Ho Cheon-an together, he couldn’t overpower Ho Cheon-an alone. In the end, he had no choice but to succumb to the hand that pierced into his dantian.
“Huh! Truly a devilish fellow. I would rather end my life than suffer the indignity of having my dantian broken!”
In response to Gu Mo-seol’s desperate wail, Ho Cheon-an only returned a cold stare.
“The Blood Monsters you commanded wished for an end to their lives rather than to be called monsters.”
The elderly Gu Mo-seol, unable to withstand the shock of his dantian breaking and having his energy scattered, fainted.
This was the end of an expert in the Martial World, yet Ho Cheon-an did not spare a glance but moved forward again.
To grant eternal rest to the remaining Blood Monsters, still breathing.
Seo I-ryeong approached Ho Cheon-an as he wandered the battlefield, full of screams, groans, and cries, moving to close the eyes of the Blood Monsters.
“Elder…”
“Haha. Just wait a moment.”
Eventually, all twenty Blood Monsters peacefully fell into eternal rest. Ho Cheon-an now stretched his back, as if signaling that his work was finally done.
Chip-chip.
Seo Gong brought over the Black Rib, which had been stuck in a corner of the sandy beach and returned it to Ho Cheon-an. Ho Cheon-an shook off the sand from the Black Rib before putting it on.
Seo I-ryeong simply watched Ho Cheon-an.
She had no idea what to say.
What exactly was that divine might? Why had he stepped forward instead of the Martial Forest Alliance? How had he given Jo Yong-sang realization? There were countless questions on her mind, yet for some reason, she couldn’t say a word.
“It seems it’s time for our farewell.”
“…Elder.”
Seo I-ryeong could not bring herself to deny it. Though the core of the Blood Forest Alliance had been utterly shattered, someone had to clean up the aftermath. The only person capable of fulfilling that role in place of Jo Yong-sang here was Seo I-ryeong.
Not only that.
Considering the changes that the collapse of the Blood Forest Isle would bring to the world, there was no longer any time to travel with Ho Cheon-an.
“Take care.”
In a voice as calm as any other during their travels, Seo I-ryeong realized Ho Cheon-an had made up his mind. Still confused, with thousands of questions, she suppressed all her doubts and tried to express her thanks.
“I owe you a great debt. This debt, of course, along with the time spent with you, I will never forget.”
“I have something to say. Seo I-ryeong, thank you for letting the entities know that it’s okay to trust humans.”
Was it perhaps a sense of foreboding regarding their farewell?
Seo Gong grasped Seo I-ryeong’s hand with his tail, while Mi-ho, with a low whimper, rubbed her face against Seo I-ryeong. Holding onto Seo Gong’s tail with one hand while cradling Mi-ho, she looked toward Muk-geum.
As always maintaining silence, as she gazed at Muk-geum, Seo I-ryeong nodded. Though disappointed by the lack of response, it was a proper farewell in Muk-geum’s manner, so she couldn’t feel too upset.
Cue-eerrr.
Chirrup!
Seok Woong and Hwang Dan also offered their farewells. Confirming that everyone had said their goodbyes, Ho Cheon-an turned away. One by one, the entities followed him, with Mi-ho, who last licked Seo I-ryeong, trailing behind.
Seo I-ryeong raised her hand in salute. Until Ho Cheon-an, and even the massive Seok Woong, disappeared from her sight, Seo I-ryeong maintained that position.
Thunder Name Zhonja.
It was a day when Ho Cheon-an’s new title was born, replacing that of the Beast King.
