Chapter 232: Immortal Divine Sword (3)

Chapter 232: Immortal Divine Sword (3)

The lightning strike was powerful.

It was different from the usual strikes that merely set a tree or two on fire and then dissipated.

It was as if all the lightning meant for an entire province had been concentrated into a single destructive beam.

The lightning bolt tore through the air, heading straight for Baek Sung-cheon’s Shooting Star Fang.

In the process, the superheated air expanded at supersonic speed, creating a shockwave.

The thunderous roar that followed was due to this.

To those listening from afar, it might have sounded like just a loud noise, but thunder produced at such close range had a tangible physical force.

The Guardian Commanders who had been burned alive were thrown in all directions by the shockwave.

Then what about Baek Sung-cheon?

Fortunately, the meteorite steel that made up Shooting Star Fang had properties that absorbed electricity.

Just as Yi-gang, far in the future, would one day capture Cheongho’s lightning in his sword, Baek Sung-cheon should have been safe as well.

“Kkrrrgh...”

But in reality, that wasn’t the case.

The lightning strike that struck Baek Sung-cheon this time was at the level of a natural disaster.

The Shooting Star Fang shone like the sun.

Sizzle—

The sword’s hilt heated up, and the skin of Baek Sung-cheon’s palm seared, releasing steam as it burned.

It was, in a way, fortunate. He was able to hold onto the sword.

His entire body trembled due to the wave of electricity that swept through him.

His teeth chattered, causing blue sparks to flicker between them.

His eyes rolled back, showing only the bloodshot whites, and his tightly bound hair had come loose, standing on end.

“Ha, haha...”

But Baek Sung-cheon did not die.

The lightning bolt that burned his body also revitalized him.

The wounds that still marred his body began to heal.

Lightning bolts possessed a purifying force.

The Guardian Commanders, who were filled with the corrupt energy of the Evil Cult, either died or were left crippled, but Baek Sung-cheon was different.

The lightning bolt both destroyed and restored his body.

The muscles that had torn and shattered re-knit themselves with greater resilience. His empty dantian was filled with pure Qi.

Baek Sung-cheon regained the strength to wield his sword once more.

Step, step, step.

The first step was difficult, but the second was easier than the first.

By the time he took the third step, his body had completely returned to its original state.

Step.

And then came the fourth step.

Baek Sung-cheon felt an overwhelming sense of exhilaration, as if his body were about to burst.

“Hahaha—!”

As Baek Sung-cheon rushed toward him, for the first time, fear crept onto the face of the Cult Leader.

“This cannot be. This should not be happening. Isn’t this an unjust intervention?!”

The words were not directed at Baek Sung-cheon.

The Cult Leader was shouting at the sky, as if reprimanding the heavens for interfering in the affairs of the mortal world.

Baek Sung-cheon did not care.

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

There were still three Guardian Commanders left beside the Cult Leader.

Moreover, the Cult Leader himself was nearly equal in skill to Baek Sung-cheon, making him a formidable opponent.

It was at that moment—

“Waaaaah!”

“Assist the Immortal Divine Sword!”

Through the open doors of the Cult Leader’s hall, masters of the Murim Alliance appeared.

Following the fallen suicide squad, the orthodox members of the martial world had come to aid Baek Sung-cheon.

The Guardian Commanders had no choice but to scatter and defend their respective positions.

Baek Sung-cheon finally had the opportunity to face the Cult Leader of the Evil Cult one-on-one.

The Cult Leader gritted his teeth and let out a strange sound.

“ॐ...”

What should have been a pure mantra echoed like the whisper of a demon.

Black smoke spewed from his mouth, enveloping his arms.

Seeing this familiar sight, Baek Sung-cheon swung his sword.

The shining Shooting Star Fang contrasted sharply with the Cult Leader’s blackened hands.

Zzzzzzng—

The sound that resulted from the clash between the sword and the hand was unbelievable.

Baek Sung-cheon felt as if he had struck a giant old tree with his bare hands.

Or as if he were swinging his sword while trapped in a sticky swamp.

“No matter how much you struggle, it’s useless!”

The Cult Leader’s dark Aura Qi had always been like this.

Like a sticky spider’s web, the Aura Qi restricted the movement of the sword.

Baek Sung-cheon’s powerful sword lost its momentum each time it clashed with the Cult Leader’s hands.

This was the reason for his earlier defeat.

“Hah!”

But now, things were different.

As the exchanges of attacks continued, the expression on the Cult Leader’s face hardened.

His Aura Qi could no longer restrain Baek Sung-cheon’s sword.

The lightning energy infused into the Shooting Star Fang was burning away the Cult Leader’s Aura Qi.

Thwack!

The sound of the collision changed slightly.

Baek Sung-cheon’s sword had been caught by the Cult Leader’s hand.

The Cult Leader hadn’t overpowered the Heaven’s Shadow Sword. He had caught it because he couldn’t deflect it any other way.

A small thunderous sound echoed constantly between the hand and the sword.

“Ugh, uuuugh...!”

It was the first time such a deadlock had occurred.

Baek Sung-cheon realized that this was the first golden opportunity he had been given.

His supreme ultimate technique wasn’t particularly well-suited against the Cult Leader.

Compared to the Cult Leader, who used all sorts of insidious methods, Baek Sung-cheon’s supreme ultimate technique was far too straightforward.

But now, just now, it was possible.

Baek Sung-cheon’s lips twisted into a grin.

A blue gleam, akin to madness, flashed in his eyes.

His supreme ultimate technique was a death-defying strike aimed to kill with a single blow.

Forget about intricacy, speed, or flair. This was a move that relied entirely on the strength of his body and the hardness of the meteorite sword.

Thus, there was no need for the Sword Aura that usually surrounded his blade.

As soon as the Sword Aura around Shooting Star Fang dissipated, the Cult Leader’s face lit up, and he exerted more force.

He intended to catch Baek Sung-cheon’s sword, which was aiming straight for his chest, and push it back.

“You’re arrogant! Arrogant!”

“...”

The Immortal Divine Sword, Baek Sung-cheon, collapsed.

His heart burned to ashes.

In truth, it could be said that he died that day.

He had forgotten the curse of the Cult Leader, or rather, Gwi-ryeong.

He didn’t think that all his misfortune was due to the curse.

He simply lived half-mad, like a hermit in the mountains.

Delusion, pain, guilt, and helplessness.

Even his body, which seemed never to age, began to deteriorate.

Perhaps it was inevitable since his spirit had weakened.

He didn’t die because of sheer stubbornness.

The sense of atonement he felt toward his son and granddaughter kept him alive...

“...”

He began to feel that his life was coming to an end at some point.

Baek Sung-cheon went to the Azure Forest.

At least, at that time, he could rely on the Forest Lord of the Azure Forest.

He made a request to the Forest Lord.

He said there was something he still needed to do.

That he needed to remain in the mortal realm, even if it meant becoming a spirit.

The Forest Lord granted Baek Sung-cheon’s request.

He bound Baek Sung-cheon’s soul to his beloved sword.

The Forest Lord looked at Baek Sung-cheon with pity and said,

“One day, a fated connection will come to you.”

“...”

“Until then... wait.”

Baek Sung-cheon was buried underground with his sword in the manor where he once resided.

A sacred rope was placed around the area to prevent anything evil from entering.

「...」

And so, he began his meditation.

Endlessly reflecting on his sins and the happiness of the past.

He spent what seemed like an eternity in that way.

It was likely a more painful wait than falling into hell.

An endless time of regret.

Forgetting himself.

Forgetting the flow of time.

Even though he tried to live that way, there were things that could not be forgotten, even after a hundred years.

Naturally, there were side effects.

At some point, his mind began to collapse.

It was as if he had become a stone sinking into the swamp of torment.

In that state, one day, Baek Sung-cheon heard a faint voice.

“As expected... you are very mature, Young Master...”

It was the voice of a young girl.

The first voice he had heard in nearly a hundred years.

Tragically, it was the voice of a dying child.

“...Rest in peace.”

A boy’s voice followed.

And then, there was silence.

Ragged, gasping breaths were heard.

The boy was holding back tears. The girl had died.

Then came the sound of heavy footsteps.

“...I will definitely return to give you a proper funeral.”

The boy’s tone was one of forced restraint, trying to hold back his tears.

Though he tried to act brave, the deep emotion in that voice awakened the Immortal Divine Sword’s mind.

Soon, a young boy appeared.

As Baek Sung-cheon gradually regained his vision and began to see clearly, he was startled.

Before him was a pale, frail boy.

He looked just like his son when he was young.

The boy couldn’t see Baek Sung-cheon. He was merely despairing at finding himself in a dead-end, facing a decayed sword.

Then, assassins appeared, following the boy.

“We’ve found you, brat. So, the son of a noble clan runs away like a rat, huh?”

Baek Sung-cheon thought the boy would be terrified by the murderous aura.

The boy might not have noticed, but his eyes were still red and moist...

“You dare speak so rudely. How lowly of you.”

But the boy didn’t cower.

“If you dare to brandish a wicked blade against the rightful heir of the Baek Noble Clan, reveal your identity!”

He was remarkably dignified.

Baek Sung-cheon felt a surge of emotion, as if his chest was on fire.

The Baek Noble Clan—his descendant had come here.

It was clear. The boy bore his bloodline.

In that moment, Baek Sung-cheon began to regain his form.

His soul gathered, and slowly, he started to resemble his former self.

Even as the assassins skillfully dealt with his descendant, he approached his descendant.

The assassin sneered and asked the descendant, “Are you just going to stand there like that?”

“...”

Baek Sung-cheon barely held back the lump in his throat.

Forcing himself, he spoke to his descendant in a cheerful voice.

「That’s not how you hold a sword.」

The descendant was startled.

He could hear Baek Sung-cheon’s voice. Moreover, he could see Baek Sung-cheon’s figure.

Fate had led both him and his descendant to this place.

「Meeting my descendant in a moment of crisis—this is surely a fated connection.」

The heavens had taken everything from him.

But in the end, they granted him this opportunity.

Baek Sung-cheon placed his hand over Yi-gang’s hand.

「I will borrow your body for a moment, my descendant.」

And then, he entered that frail body.

The major meridians were in a terrible state, with strands snapped all over, but Baek Sung-cheon used his willpower to reconnect them.

Kaang—!

He deflected the sword of the approaching assassin.

Then he growled at the assassins who dared to wield their wicked blades.

“Repent, evildoers.”

From the withered Qi and blood, internal energy surged forth like sparks.