novelbin Chapter 261 : Invaders (4)
Chapter 261 : Invaders (4)
Chapter 261: Invaders (4)
There was no need to overcomplicate things.
How could everything possibly go according to plan?
‘Let’s just destroy it.’
Jang Woo-hyun decided to keep things simple. He had no intention of blaming Cho-su either. The man had followed him recklessly all the way into the Corpse-Blood Realm.
How could he possibly hold that against him?
If there were mistakes or shortcomings, then he simply had to fill the gaps himself. He only needed to work harder.
That was what companions were for—to make up for one another’s weaknesses.
‘As long as Phantom King Baek Jeong-ak himself doesn’t appear, this is manageable.’
There was no way Baek Jeong-ak personally guarded the entire domain. If only one of his Projections came, they could handle it. And the cultivators of the Black Shadow Sect guarding this place did not frighten him.
Honestly, if Jang Woo-hyun had come alone, he might have simply smashed his way straight toward the tower from the beginning.
The only reason he spent time observing the surroundings and planning carefully was because his companions were here. He wanted to remove as many risks as possible for their sake.
“It’s too dangerous. And this isn’t something we should think about so simply.”
“This works out better instead. Let’s smash everything quickly and head back to the Central Heavens Realm. It even reminds me of the old days.”
If there was an enemy, then they simply clashed against them head-on.
That was how Jang Woo-hyun had always grown stronger.
Had he not fought exactly that way against the Asura Sword Sect and the Demonic Cult back in the Central Plains?
Jin Ha-un, who had widened his eyes in shock at Jang Woo-hyun’s decision, suddenly burst into laughter when he heard him mention the old days.
That was right.
Jang Woo-hyun was this kind of martial artist.
When faced with enemies, he never retreated. He fought proudly and destroyed everything before him.
“Hehehehehe.”
Beside him, Seo Ryeom laughed aloud.
The Demon-Slaying Corps.
A group that fought so relentlessly even Seo Ryeom, formerly of the Battle Fiend Division of the White Martial Society, found them outrageous.
Whenever enemies appeared, they charged forward, fought, and destroyed them. That was the path the Demon-Slaying Corps had always walked.
It suited Seo Ryeom’s personality perfectly as well.
That was why he had suggested a frontal assault earlier.
“I’m in favor.”
“Me too.”
As the two grinned and agreed, Cho-su became troubled. He thought everyone was forcing themselves into danger because of his mistake.
“Let’s set up the board now. The more I think about it, the more doable this seems.”
Once Jang Woo-hyun made the decision, Cho-su no longer had anything left to say.
---
“I’ll head straight for the front of the tower. Once I create enough chaos, go around the back and destroy it.”
The strategy was incredibly simple.
Jang Woo-hyun would draw attention while the other three destroyed the tower.
“Will you really be alright alone?”
“What’s difficult about causing chaos? Honestly, your side might have it harder, Senior Seo. You’ll have to protect Ha-un and Cho-su as well. And no matter how much attention I draw, there’s no telling how many troops will remain.”
Cho-su could fight, but he was not a combat specialist to begin with, and Jin Ha-un still lacked experience.
If a powerful enemy suddenly appeared while they were attacking the tower, Seo Ryeom might struggle.
“Don’t worry about us. Heh, I’ll give it everything too, so you better do the same, Captain.”
“Let’s go.”
Since there was no complicated operation involved, the group quickly split apart.
The three circled around the city toward the rear of the tower, while Jang Woo-hyun slowly walked directly toward it.
The gigantic tower resembled a crude stack of black stones.
The closer he got, the more clearly he could feel the tower’s power.
Energy stretched outward from the tower’s peak, forming an invisible massive barrier around the area.
It was the barrier Lee Ahn had mentioned.
Black stone walls surrounded the tower. Unlike the shabby earthen walls encircling the city, these looked sturdy and imposing.
Cultivators dressed in black robes patrolled around the dark walls.
Since nobody approached the tower itself, Jang Woo-hyun immediately stood out.
“Hey, you there. This area is off-limits. Turn back.”
At the middle-aged cultivator’s warning, Jang Woo-hyun simply continued walking without responding.
‘This really reminds me of the old days.’
Back in the Central Plains, he had once searched for Sang Mun-cheon, the Young Sect Master of the Asura Sword Sect.
The situation and location were different now, but the feeling was similar.
And once again, there was someone he needed to find.
“Stop. If you come any closer, we’ll treat you as an enemy.”
“Bring me Hyeonwol.”
“What?”
“Who the hell is that?”
“What’s wrong with this bastard?”
“Did he take the wrong pill or something?”
Seeing Jang Woo-hyun continue approaching, nearby cultivators began gathering around him.
“Bring me Hyeonwol, the one who came from the Central Heavens Realm.”
Without stopping, Jang Woo-hyun slowly began raising his energy.
“This bastard’s actually insane.”
The middle-aged cultivator who had spoken first stomped the ground in anger at Jang Woo-hyun’s shameless refusal to stop.
Apparently trained in a Body Refinement Cultivation Technique, he charged directly forward instead of casting spells from afar.
“Die.”
Looking at Jang Woo-hyun as though he were pathetic, the cultivator raised his sword.
The blade darkened into pitch black before slashing downward.
In response, Jang Woo-hyun’s hand rose a moment later.
Tap.
His seemingly slow hand suddenly struck aside the blackened sword.
“Huh?”
Though Jang Woo-hyun clearly reacted late, the cultivator’s blade was deflected completely.
Before he could even finish wondering what had happened, Jang Woo-hyun’s hand touched the center of his chest.
Tap.
It was a tiny motion.
He merely flicked him lightly with the back of his hand.
But the result was anything but small.
Booooom!
The cultivator’s upper body and head exploded apart.
“…….”
The unexpected scene.
The overwhelming force.
Everyone froze.
It felt as though the world itself had stopped.
Step. Step.
For a brief moment, only Jang Woo-hyun’s footsteps echoed.
“E-enemy!”
“Sound the alarm!”
“There’s an enemy attack!”
“Attack him!”
Time resumed as the cultivators regained their senses and shouted.
Countless spells activated simultaneously.
Black energy dyed the sky.
Watching the incoming spells, Jang Woo-hyun lifted his foot before stomping downward.
KWAANG!
A massive roar exploded outward as the surrounding ground shook violently.
Energy originating from Yongcheonhyeol flowed through the earth itself. A tremendous shockwave spread outward in circles centered around Jang Woo-hyun.
Rumbleeeee—
The earth trembled as gigantic waves of force surged in all directions.
Demon King Three Steps: Sovereign Lotus.
Energy bloomed like lotus petals, dozens of massive layers erupting upward and crushing everything around him.
“Gaaaaah!”
“Aaaagh!”
The spells filling the sky vanished as the surrounding cultivators were crushed apart.
Whoosh.
Jang Woo-hyun’s body slid forward like a drifting shadow.
His target was the black tower ahead.
“He’s coming!”
“Stop him!”
“Kill him!”
“This lunatic actually dares attack this place?!”
Though he had already slaughtered dozens of cultivators with a single step, dozens more immediately rushed forward.
Cultivators trained in Body Refinement Cultivation Techniques similar to martial arts stepped to the front, while those behind unleashed torrents of spells.
THUD!
Jang Woo-hyun stomped once more and drew his sword.
The moment he unsheathed it, the bodies of the three cultivators charging him split apart.
“You bastard!”
But whether through strange techniques or because they had already died once before, the severed cultivators did not collapse.
Their attacks continued despite their divided bodies.
The cultivator on the right extended his severed spine outward like a spear.
The one on the left had his sliced organs twist and enlarge before opening like the jaws of a serpent.
The one in the center moved only his upper body while swinging his sword.
Jang Woo-hyun already knew cultivators did not die easily.
So he simply swung his sword again without panic.
Kuuuuuu—
The air itself shattered.
This was no ordinary slash.
Though he swung a sword, the attack was not a line, but a surface.
The overwhelming force crushed apart everyone blocking his path.
BOOM!
Again he stomped, swung Black Wilds Sword, and threw a punch.
The cultivators were swept away by his attacks.
Whenever he swung his sword, their bodies were not merely cut—they were pulverized as though struck by hammers.
And when he punched, bodies exploded outright.
KWAANG! Splatter—
The cultivators’ flesh scattered into chunks.
Jang Woo-hyun then projected his Will-Form while thinking only one thing.
‘Pierce.’
The energy of the Corpse-Blood Realm differed from that of the Central Heavens Realm, making it impossible to fully dominate the surrounding space.
But there were still things he could do.
Spear-like energy exploded outward in every direction.
Sharp Will-Form pierced through everything.
The cultivators rushing him collapsed with holes torn through their entire bodies.
The battle had barely lasted long, yet nearly a hundred cultivators had already been destroyed.
And not merely decapitated or sliced apart—
They had been reduced to scattered meat.
The enemies approaching from all sides hesitated in shock.
Jang Woo-hyun briefly steadied his breathing before completely unleashing his power.
Though he could not absorb surrounding energy like he did in the Central Heavens Realm, simply releasing the Internal Energy he already possessed caused an overwhelming tidal wave of force to spread outward.
Merely revealing his power overturned the earth and unleashed violent shockwaves.
Crack! Smash!
The skull mask hiding his face and the bone breastplate shattered, unable to withstand Jang Woo-hyun’s power.
“R-Refining Void Stage!”
“He’s a Refining Void cultivator!”
“A Refining Void cultivator trained in Body Refinement Cultivation Techniques!”
The cultivators surrounding Jang Woo-hyun recoiled in horror at the exposed power.
None dared charge forward now.
They could only shout.
Ignoring the surroundings entirely, Jang Woo-hyun raised Black Wilds Sword toward the sky.
The sword tip pointed upward.
Everyone’s gaze gathered there.
Then the blade slowly descended.
The thing he intended to cut—
Was the black tower.
The distance remained too great for the sword itself to reach.
But Jang Woo-hyun possessed swordsmanship that transcended space itself.
He poured Will-Form into the strike while envisioning the distant tower being severed.
The sword split the world apart.
Transcendental Sword.
A single trajectory carved itself across the world, and everything standing before it split apart.
No—
They only thought it had.
The cultivators caught within the trajectory were cut down, but the tower remained standing.
Because someone had suddenly stepped into the path of the strike.
KWA-A-A-AANG!
A sharp-featured young man wearing black robes and a crimson hero’s scarf around his head.
Before him floated dozens of layered black swords.
Using them, he blocked Jang Woo-hyun’s Transcendental Sword.
RUMBLE!
At the same moment, shadowy waves surged over the walls surrounding the tower.
Standing atop the black tide was an old man holding a staff.
His power was no less than the young cultivator floating in the air.
‘Refining Void Stage.’
Two Refining Void cultivators, possessing strength comparable to martial artists at the Infinite Realm, had revealed themselves to defend the tower.
The floating cultivator stretched out his hand, and swords made from condensed black smoke formed around him.
The blades immediately rained toward Jang Woo-hyun.
Dragon King Scale flew from Jang Woo-hyun’s waist on its own.
‘I can’t completely dominate space here.’
He could not fully utilize his strength within the Corpse-Blood Realm, meaning certain techniques were impossible.
So Jang Woo-hyun decided to use Dragon King Scale the old-fashioned way.
He pierced through the Corpse-Blood Realm’s energy and created threads of Qi.
Using those Qi Threads, he controlled Dragon King Scale.
The floating Dragon King Scale transformed into dozens of blades, intercepting the black swords raining from above.
Woooooo—
A low beast-like howl echoed out as the earth turned black.
Black hands rose from the ground.
Their palms were densely covered in crimson characters.
Each individual character was a curse spell.
Hundreds of hands surged toward Jang Woo-hyun like a tidal wave.
THUD! THUD!
Watching the wave of curses approach, Jang Woo-hyun stomped the ground.
His footwork resembled the mysteries of Demon King Three Steps: Sovereign.
Each step sent circular shockwaves spreading outward.
BOOM!
The incoming wave of curses exploded apart.
Hundreds of curses vanished before they could even properly activate.
He crushed the spells themselves with raw power.
Jang Woo-hyun was literally stomping apart curses powerful enough to melt the corrupted land of the Corpse-Blood Realm.
---
The absurd display of crushing curses beneath his feet caused the battle to briefly stall.
After a short silence—
The first to speak was the cultivator floating in the air.
“You know exactly where you are to be causing this kind of disturbance, don’t you?”
The young cultivator, Gyu-o, asked while forming swords from condensed black smoke around him.
Beneath him spread a sea of shadows, black waves crashing endlessly.
Standing atop those waves was the old man holding the staff, Hong Sa-myeong, another Refining Void cultivator.
He tilted his head while looking at Jang Woo-hyun.
“……You are not a cultivator.”
At first, he assumed Jang Woo-hyun had merely learned a sword-related Body Refinement Cultivation Technique.
But now it was obvious.
This was not a cultivation art at all.
And despite seeing it with his own eyes, Hong Sa-myeong still could not believe that kind of power existed.
Such abilities were rare in the Corpse-Blood Realm.
And someone should never have been able to exert power like this here.
“Jang—.”
The unidentified intruder began to say his own name before stopping.
Then he smirked and spoke again.
“I am Jang Woo-hyun of the Demon-Slaying Corps from the Central Heavens Martial Realm.”
At those brief words, chaos erupted around them.
“What?!”
“He’s from the Martial Realm?”
“The Central Heavens Martial Realm?!”
The surrounding cultivators broke into uproar, yet neither Gyu-o nor Hong Sa-myeong could calm them.
Because even they could not comprehend the situation.
Despite the disbelief and confusion erupting everywhere, Jang Woo-hyun remained calm.
Without losing his smile, he continued speaking.
“I came for Hyeonwol of the Radiant Light Sect, the one who fled here. Bring him to me.”
“…….”
“If you don’t bring him, then I intend to destroy that tower. So you’d better hurry.”
Even while surrounded by two Refining Void cultivators and over a hundred cultivators, Jang Woo-hyun declared his intentions proudly.
At the sight, Hong Sa-myeong and Gyu-o were utterly dumbfounded.
“This lunatic…….”
“What nonsense are you spouting?!”
They had lived for countless years, yet this was their first time experiencing something like this.
The attack itself was not the issue.
Conflicts and battles were commonplace.
The problem was the attacker.
This was entirely different from the norm.
It was not the Corpse-Blood Realm invading and plundering the Central Heavens Realm.
Ridiculously enough—
A martial artist from the Central Heavens Realm had invaded the Corpse-Blood Realm.