The martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance fell into a deep sense of powerlessness at the disaster that had come upon them without warning.

As warned, the death created by Ma Seongun’s sword came slowly.

But the death he created was clear and certain.

The masters of the alliance first stepped forward for a joint attack.

Twenty martial artists, composed of the masters of Qingcheng and the vassal sects, went into a life-and-death battle to subdue Ma Seongun.

And the time it took for all of them to die was just one hour.

“Now I will step forward.”

The Jingyu Master, who had barely pulled herself together, moved with the nuns belonging to the Demon-Subduing Sword to avenge her sect.

However, the Qingyu True Man stopped the Jingyu Master and said.

“If it’s true that the Emei Sect has suffered a devastating blow… you must live. Only then will the lineage of the Emei Sect not be cut off.”

“If we can’t stop the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon anyway, it’s not just the Emei Sect that will end.”

As the Jingyu Master had said.

If they could not stop the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon, then not only the Emei Sect, but also the Qingcheng Sect, the Sichuan Tang Clan, and even the vassal sects.

The lineage of all the martial factions belonging to the righteous martial world in Sichuan would be cut off.

“Sect Master. There is only one way to survive now.”

“…”

The Qingyu True Man closed his eyes tightly with a pained face.

But there was not much time to hesitate.

After the twenty masters who had stepped forward first were killed within an hour, the sound of death from the masters who had stepped forward second was gradually fading.

The Qingyu True Man opened his eyes for the battle that might be the third or the last.

“How many elders who can fight are left?”

“Four.”

“Then the remaining elders and the Qingcheng swordsmen. And…”

The Qingyu True Man’s gaze landed on the Jingyu Master and the nuns.

“The Emei Sect will fight with us.”

The Jingyu Master, who had already strengthened her resolve, nodded her head.

Thud—!

Ma Seongun’s sword, which had cut down all the necks of the masters who had stepped forward in the second turn, fell.

Not a single drop of blood remained on his blood-red sword.

“Is the hesitation over.”

Ma Seongun slowly raised his head and looked at the group of people standing in front of him.

The sect master of the Qingcheng Sect, the Qingyu True Man, was at the head, and the best masters of Qingcheng, the Qingcheng swordsmen, four elders, and the Jingyu Master and the nuns of the Demon-Subduing Sword.

Martial artists of a number and level incomparable to before stood facing Ma Seongun.

“This is the last time.”

The Qingyu True Man raised his sword to his chest and asked.

“I will ask one last time. Even if this fight ends in your victory… are you going to kill everyone? Even the young martial artists who have not yet matured?”

“Yes. I plan to kill them all.”

The Qingyu True Man’s face contorted in pain.

He shouted in a voice filled with frustration and anger.

“How can you be so cold, being born a human! No matter how much of a demon you are, you should at least keep the minimum duty as a human!”

“Sect Master.”

“Blood-Sucking Sword Demon!!”

“The reason they die is because of you.”

“What?”

“Qingyu True Man. You are an excellent sect master. As a leader and as the head of a sect, you are a person who can die with a smile… if you can just protect the sect and the late-stage prospects who can be called the future of the martial world.”

A heartless laugh leaked from Ma Seongun’s lips.

“Hehe. That’s why they must die. If your victory is the only way to protect those children… the Qingyu True Man is a human who will grit his teeth and fight to the end even if his limbs are torn apart.”

All the martial artists who stood in front of Ma Seongun, including the Qingyu True Man, were horrified.

The reason why Ma Seongun was trying to brutally murder even the immature young children was simple.

A simple and clear reason that the martial artists of the alliance, including the Qingyu True Man, would fight with all their might until the end only if there was a target to protect with their lives.

The Qingyu True Man let out the last breath of his life and raised his sword.

“All the martial artists belonging to the alliance, listen…”

The martial artists, who were soaked in fear, opened their ears.

“We have a reason why we must win. I will surely win against the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon, so please help me.”

There was no answer.

The martial artists of the alliance raised their respective swords instead of answering with words.

At the magnificent sight and the bold and intense aura that shook off fear, Ma Seongun smiled with satisfaction.

“As expected, you are an excellent sect master. Qingyu True Man.”

“I will open the way.”

“Please use me as a shield…”

“Even if I die, I will take at least one of the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon’s fingers!”

The martial artists of the alliance, who had prepared for death, took a vigorous step towards the disaster that was upon them.

The last battle between the alliance and Ma Seongun, which would be their end, began without a signal.

The ones who took the first step were the three Qingcheng swordsmen.

The three swordsmen, who had been practicing together for a very long time, organically linked the natural sword technique unique to the Qingcheng Sect, which flowed like water, and pressed Ma Seongun.

‘The water that flows along the river and the clouds that flow with the wind.’

The three sword lines that were connected without a break cut Ma Seongun without a gap.

And Ma Seongun, who was watching this silently, raised the Bloodstone Sword.

Like the brush of a famous calligrapher.

Ma Seongun’s sword drew a single stroke.

Tadadang—!!

The three swords were deflected at the same time.

The force was so strong that the three Qingcheng swordsmen were greatly flustered and had to struggle not to lose their swords.

In the meantime, blood splattered from their torn palms.

“One Sword, One Kill.”

Ma Seongun’s eyes were at some point looking at a moment that was not the present but the past and the future.

One death was born from one slash.

The names, origins, and martial arts levels of the dead were all different, but one thing was the same.

The flying sword that had flown at some point had given them a death that could not be missed.

And Ma Seongun and the martial artists of the Heretic Path's Alliance, who were standing in between, had to face an indescribable sense of powerlessness.

Was this how an ant being trampled by a human felt?

Ma Seongun became infinitely shabby in front of the absolute master he could not stand against.

All he could do was to swing his sword meaninglessly, which would not even reach.

“Not anymore.”

Ma Seongun was no longer a being who stood powerlessly and swung his sword meaninglessly.

He was a being who controlled life and death.

And the one who gave deep despair and powerlessness to everyone.

“I am the number one in the world.”

Ma Seongun’s sword bent sharply.

The Qingyu True Man, who was watching this, was greatly surprised and shouted.

“Everyone, be careful!”

Despite the Qingyu True Man’s urgent warning, Ma Seongun’s sword cut horizontally as if it would split the world in two.

Everything that was in the path of his sword was cut.

Thud— thud—!

The three Qingcheng swordsmen who had stepped forward, and the remaining Qingcheng swordsmen who had moved to help them.

Everyone met an equal death.

As blood spewed from their bodies, which had been cut in two, and stained the ground red, the martial artists of the alliance were at a loss for words.

The fighting spirit that they had barely raised burned up and disappeared in an instant, like a fly that had jumped into a torch.

Now what was left was.

A terrible sense of powerlessness and fear.

“Yes. This was the face.”

Ma Seongun, who had at some point returned to reality, smiled slyly.

From the martial artists of the alliance and the Qingyu True Man, who were looking at him as if they had seen a ghost, he saw his past self.

“You must have lived seeing these faces. What a beautiful sight.”

Ma Seongun’s sword was aimed at the hardened martial artists of the alliance.

“It won’t take long. Death will come in an instant.”

Finally, Ma Seongun approached the martial artists of the alliance.

One step and another step.

Every time his face got closer, the martial artists of the alliance, including the Qingyu True Man, could not control their trembling bodies.

‘Still, I have to do it!’

The Qingyu True Man bit his lower lip.

A part of his cut lip fell to the floor, and blood flowed from the wounded area.

The Qingyu True Man did not wipe it.

Rather, the pain awakened his fading mind.

Teobeok— teobeok—!

The Qingyu True Man walked through the martial artists of the alliance and walked towards Ma Seongun.

Soon, the two stopped with a distance of five steps between them.

“Excellent. Qingyu True Man.”

“This will be my last, so I will ask.”

“Yes. Good.”

“What is your name?”

At the unexpected question, Ma Seongun smiled faintly.

“Why are you curious about my name?”

“Every being in the world has its own name. Even a demon like you must have a name that people call and remember.”

Ma Seongun, who had nodded his head as if in agreement, answered in a low voice.

“Ma Seongun.”

“Ma Seongun… it’s a more ordinary name than I thought.”

The Qingyu True Man slowly lowered his sword.

A blue energy gathered on the blade that had come down to his chest.

The shimmering sword gang took shape and then faded faintly.

It wasn’t that he had withdrawn his internal energy.

‘To think that I would gain enlightenment from a long study only when I’m about to die.’

After letting go of everything and facing death as a single martial artist, the Qingyu True Man felt as if his eyes were opening.

A feeling of his mind, which had been hazy like a fog, clearing up.

“You may not be interested, but my name is Ungiseok. Please take care of me.”

As Ma Seongun nodded his head, the sect master of Qingcheng, who had laid down his Dao name and had returned to being a single martial artist and swordsman named Ungiseok, took the first step.

The blade that fell gently fell towards Ma Seongun.

The sight was like watching a single meteor.

Kung—!!

For the first time, Ma Seongun’s sword trembled.

The martial artists of the alliance who were watching this, and even the martial artists of the Poison Sect who were secretly watching their fight.

It was a moment when everyone was surprised.

“The Blood-Sucking Sword Demon… trembled!”

“Don’t tell me…!”

“Maybe the sect master can do it!”

To some, hope.

To some, doubt.

Ungiseok swung his sword without stopping.

‘The moment the sword stops… everything ends.’

Now his sword could not stop. Whether he died or Ma Seongun died.

As he had said, until one of the two ended. Ungiseok had no intention of stopping his sword.

“Hooop!!”

Ungiseok’s sword, which contained the starlight at its tip, struck Ma Seongun.

At this, Ma Seongun also did not lose and swung his sword fiercely and fought back.

The blood-red blade and the blue blade containing the starlight clashed chaotically.

Clang— clang—!!

‘My lungs feel like they’re going to burst!’

Ungiseok felt a pain as if his heart and lungs would burst.

Because he had continued a fierce offensive without breathing.

Nevertheless, Ungiseok could not stop.

‘The sword stops only when I die!!’

As Ungiseok’s sword came without stopping, Ma Seongun’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘Are you not going to give me time to breathe.’

As Ma Seongun had thought, Ungiseok had given up his own breathing and had instead taken away the time for his opponent to breathe.

‘He must be waiting for me to breathe.’

That was the one and only move that Ungiseok was aiming for.

And finally.

The moment that Ungiseok had been waiting for had come.

Ma Seongun, who could no longer bear Ungiseok’s sword technique, which was moving without a break like a meteor wandering the sky, had let out a breath.

‘Now!’

All the power he had was contained in the tip of Ungiseok’s sword.

‘This is my last.’

Ungiseok’s sword dug into the momentary gap created by the breathing.

As the blue starlight that lit up the darkness stretched towards Ma Seongun, everyone clenched their fists.

Maybe.

Hoping that the sword of Qingcheng would defeat the darkness called the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon that had been cast over the Central Plains martial world.

And bring peace.

“I’ve seen enough. Ungiseok.”

A single sword was deflected into the sky and then fell to the ground and was embedded.

A person’s hand was attached to the sword hilt.

“You were an excellent martial artist.”

“…”

Ungiseok looked at his own right hand, which had disappeared.

Soon, an unbearable pain came.

“Heoeoeok—! Heok— heok—!!”

Because of the breathing he had been holding back, his lungs swelled up as if they would burst, his two eyes were bloodshot, and his heart pounded like crazy.

He could no longer stand and had to kneel.

“Heok— heok— heok—!!”

Ma Seongun approached Ungiseok, who was breathing crazily, and held out his blood-red blade.

“Your sword and blood are worth taking.”

Ma Seongun’s sword slowly dug into Ungiseok’s heart.

Even then, Ungiseok could not even lift a finger.

“The sword of Qingcheng is…”

Ma Seongun, who was about to pierce Ungiseok’s heart, quickly swung his sword towards his right. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Kwang—!!

With a strong metallic sound as if a bomb had exploded, Ma Seongun’s left foot was pushed back one step.

Ma Seongun, with a surprised face, looked at the something that had flown at him.

It was a strange-shaped weapon with the blade and handle made in one piece without a handguard.

“A flying sword…!”

It was a flying sword.

(End of Chapter)