Flame Soul Corps.
One of the six great battle corps of the Death Spirit Sect, it consists of first-class masters who have honed the Evil Spirit Jade Blood Spear to at least five stages of mastery. Originally, it was a unit that roamed the martial world, independently eliminating threats to the Death Spirit Sect’s influence…
But this time, it had become the escort corps for the Death Spirit Sect successor’s journey through the martial world.
Whoosh.
A dry wind swept past the Flame Soul Corps, lined up in formation.
Three hundred Flame Soul Corps warriors, clad in blood-red robes, stood solemnly in a triangular formation, their spears held upright, facing the entrance of the Affectionate Blossom Sect. Their formation resembled a massive, blood-stained spearhead.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin appeared at the entrance.
Clack.
The Flame Soul Corps warriors moved with disciplined precision, parting to the left and right to clear a path. At the same time, a middle-aged man stepped forward, carrying two halves of a long spear strapped to his back.
He stood over six feet tall, but his frame was lean, with long, slit-like eyes. From a distance, he looked like a scarecrow draped in red.
It was Yo Bulbeom, the leader of the Flame Soul Corps.
His nickname was Blood Flower Chaotic Shadow.
Wherever he passed, a chaotic flurry of blood-soaked flower shadows bloomed—a metaphor for the bloodshed that followed his presence.
“Are you Bu Eunseol, the former member of Nangyang?” If a venomous snake could speak, it would sound like this.
Yo Bulbeom’s voice was low, hoarse, and sinister, enough to send chills down the spine.
“Yes.” But Bu Eunseol, without a trace of agitation, gazed calmly into Yo Bulbeom’s eyes. “Have you come to capture me?”
“Heh heh heh. Capture you?” Yo Bulbeom sneered mockingly. “Even if you’re the successor of Nangyang, to my eyes, you’re just a greenhorn who hasn’t fully matured.”
Raising the corner of his thin lips, he lowered his voice further.
“Give up on gaining the Affectionate Blossom Sect as your ally.”
“Give up?”
“From the start, the Pavilion Master agreed to aid our sect in exchange for the Extreme Demon Flame Pill.” Pausing briefly, he continued. “But because you barged in, you ruined everything.”
The Death Spirit Sect successor, Jeong Wolhon, had concluded a satisfactory negotiation with Geuk Hyeryeong and left. But the cautious Yo Bulbeom lingered in Gyerim, observing the situation.
As expected, Geuk Hyeryeong suddenly poured funds into Nangyang and Heaven and Earth Severing Sect. Upon hearing this, he immediately led the Flame Soul Corps to this place.
“There’s no need for the Affectionate Blossom Sect to suffer because of you.” Yo Bulbeom stared piercingly at Bu Eunseol with his slit-like eyes. “Abandon the Affectionate Blossom Sect. If you make that promise, this corps will leave quietly.”
It was Geuk Hyeryeong who broke the agreement in the first place.
Moreover, Yo Bulbeom wasn’t demanding renewed support for Death Spirit Sect—he was merely asking her to remain neutral. On the surface, his proposal seemed reasonable, not overly demanding.
“That’s laughable.” But Bu Eunseol let out a low scoff. “Setting up camp in front of someone’s home and demanding neutrality?”
With a cold smile, he looked down at Yo Bulbeom.
“If I accept this threat, the Affectionate Blossom Sect will have no choice but to support Death Spirit Sect whenever anyone comes. You’ll stay here, blocking any other faction from entering.”
“…”
“In the end, what you’re doing is no different from holding a sword to their throat, just without drawing blood.”
“Hah hah hah.” Yo Bulbeom let out a grotesque laugh. “And?”
Pausing, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes.
“So what will the former Nangyang member do?” Glancing at the lined-up Flame Soul Corps warriors, he continued. “Are you saying the two of you will fight us? Oh, of course not. You must be counting on the Pavilion Master’s help.”
Chuckling, he pointed to the entrance of the Affectionate Blossom Sect.
“But the Pavilion Master will never join the fight. The Affectionate Blossom Sect has always despised bloodshed…”
“Because you use spears as weapons?” Bu Eunseol sighed softly, his expression bored. “You really do talk too much.”
Crack.
A thick vein bulged on Yo Bulbeom’s forehead. Glaring at Bu Eunseol with murderous intent, he thrust both arms forward.
Clank!
In that instant, the Flame Soul Corps warriors simultaneously assembled their spears, which had been split and strapped to their backs. The precision of their synchronized movements alone revealed the terrifying might of the Flame Soul Corps.
“So you wish to die.” Yo Bulbeom’s eyes brimmed with blue, murderous intent. “No need for long words. Kill!”
With a short cry, the three hundred warriors surrounded Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin.
Whoosh!
No further words were needed. 7The first line, about thirty warriors, swung their spears chaotically toward Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin.
Shing, clang!
At the same time, Bu Eunseol’s dark sword and Hyeok Sojin’s treasure sword were drawn. The flurry of spear shadows was so dense that not a single ray of light could penetrate. The surrounding ten jang (about 30 meters) was filled with the shadows of spearheads, as if erasing Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin from existence.
Clang clang clang!
But Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin precisely deflected the spear shadows, defending without a single gap.
Swish! Slash!
Not only that, they moved alternately left and right, as if coordinated, covering each other’s weaknesses with a torrent of sword techniques. Even when attacking face-to-face, their strikes didn’t tangle, flowing as if they were one entity.
“Did the Ten Demonic Sects successors train in joint combat techniques?” Watching this, a flicker of astonishment appeared in Yo Bulbeom’s eyes.
Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin moved in perfect harmony, as if they were one. When a spear thrust came, Hyeok Sojin’s Divine Rift Demon Energy surged, disrupting the formation and strength.
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s dark sword unleashed precise, lethal strikes. Their shoulders nearly touched as they grazed past each other, unleashing sword strikes, palm techniques, and fist arts, yet there was no hesitation, as if they were a single body.
And these weren’t simple or ordinary techniques—they were intricate, advanced demonic arts from different factions, harmonized perfectly. It was as if they had anticipated this situation and trained in joint combat techniques.
“Argh!” From the first line of Flame Soul Corps warriors charging at Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin, endless screams erupted.
Even more astonishingly, Bu Eunseol wielded Heaven and Earth Severing Sect’s demonic arts as skillfully as Hyeok Sojin. At times, he used different advanced techniques, and at others, as if by agreement, they unleashed the same demonic arts, causing Yo Bulbeom’s eyes to widen.
‘A Nangyang member using Heaven and Earth Severing Sect’s demonic arts?’
Crash!
Meanwhile, the first line’s formation collapsed entirely, revealing Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin, drenched in blood.
“Is this all the Death Spirit Sect’s corps can do?” Bu Eunseol looked down at the retreating Flame Soul Corps warriors.
Drenched in blood, he exuded the majesty of a war god dominating the battlefield.
“Hmph, don’t get cocky just because you broke our first line.” But Yo Bulbeom, unfazed, wore a venomous smile.
No matter how impressive Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin’s martial arts were, the Flame Soul Corps numbered three hundred. No matter how strong, the two could never prevail.
Clack!
Finally, the second and third lines of the Flame Soul Corps charged simultaneously. The warriors moved chaotically, forming two overlapping circles, tightening the distance as they pressed Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin.
Clang! Clang clang!
The sound of weapons clashing echoed incessantly. After about half a gak (roughly 7.5 minutes), nearly half of the second and third lines had fallen. But wounds began to appear on Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin’s bodies as well.
The Evil Spirit Jade Blood Spear, the supreme demonic spear technique, wielded by elite masters, was relentless, and the two began to tire.
Outnumbered and overwhelmed. As Yo Bulbeom had boasted, the two alone could never defeat three hundred Flame Soul Corps warriors.
“Hmph.” Hyeok Sojin, unleashing his Divine Rift Demon Energy, gritted his teeth.
No matter how many he cut down, the enemies kept coming endlessly. In the past, he would have already looked for an escape route or prepared to retreat.
‘But…’ Beside him, Bu Eunseol stood his ground, facing the enemy without retreating a single step.
As the fight wore on, his body bore increasingly large and small wounds, and his breathing grew ragged. Yet, the more blood he shed, the longer the battle raged…
Bu Eunseol’s eyes burned hotter, his entire body seeming to blaze with fiery fighting spirit.
This was the martial path.
This was the fight of a warrior.
A life-and-death duel wasn’t about ranking martial prowess. It was a clash of life and vitality, of will and will. Watching Bu Eunseol, a fiery surge boiled in Hyeok Sojin’s chest.
‘Winning or losing doesn’t matter anymore!’ For a warrior, there are battles from which one cannot retreat. One might die at the hands of the enemy. What matters is how one fights. If you cower to survive, even if you live, there will be no progress. But if you pour your all into the fight, giving everything you have, and survive…
Your martial arts will surely advance to the next level.
Whoosh!
In that moment, the same fiery blaze that engulfed Bu Eunseol erupted from Hyeok Sojin’s body. He had finally entered the true battle of a warrior.
Boom!
As he unleashed his Divine Rift Demon Energy, an unprecedented explosion resounded. It wasn’t mere internal energy but a fusion of his strength and fiery will.
‘I don’t care if I die!’ Hyeok Sojin poured everything into his Divine Rift Demon Energy. He wished for this battle to burn away everything he had.
“What… what is that?” The Flame Soul Corps masters, overwhelmed by Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin’s momentum, staggered back once more.
The more they fought, the more intense energy they unleashed. Though their movements slowed, their spirit and vigor grew sharper. Clearly, the Flame Soul Corps should win this fight—no, they couldn’t possibly lose. Yet the warriors were retreating, bit by bit.
At that moment, “Well, that’s intense.”
A robust man with a fan at his waist slowly appeared at the entrance of the Affectionate Blossom Sect.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a fight.” Behind him stood a dozen warriors, each wielding different weapons.
It was Jeong Ri, the Thread-Breaking Divine Archer, a guest of the Affectionate Blossom Sect, along with other guests.
“All we freeloaders do is eat their food, so this is our job, right?” At Jeong Ri’s words, the guests behind him drew their weapons, chuckling softly.
“Well said.”
“Shall we earn our keep and stay a bit longer at the Affectionate Blossom Sect?”
“Sounds good. Let’s get started!”
As Jeong Ri drew his bow,
Whoosh!
An arrow, accompanied by a tremendous sonic boom, pierced through two Flame Soul Corps warriors. At the same time-
“Waaah!” With a massive war cry, the Affectionate Blossom Sect’s guests joined the fray.
“Those leeching guests of the Affectionate Blossom Sect?” But Yo Bulbeom didn’t flinch at the sight.
No matter how skilled those dozen masters were, they couldn’t help Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin, trapped in the center of the encirclement.
“The martial world is full of moths drawn to flames.” With a mocking sneer, Yo Bulbeom surveyed the battlefield again.
“We’ll help too!” At that moment, thirty women rushed out from the entrance.
They were the Hundred Flower Maidens, who had been trained by Hyeok Sojin.
Clang!
Drawing their swords, the Hundred Flower Maidens charged at the Flame Soul Corps warriors. Though lacking real combat experience, they weren’t a significant force. But as they attacked with all their might, the encirclement around Bu Eunseol and Hyeok Sojin loosened slightly.
“What’s this?” Yo Bulbeom, who had maintained a relaxed demeanor, finally showed a trace of alarm. “The disciples of the Affectionate Blossom Sect are joining the melee?”
The Affectionate Blossom Sect had almost no history of using martial arts to defeat enemies.
Hadn’t the spy’s report confirmed this? They had little combat-ready forces, and even if they did, Geuk Hyeryeong would never permit their involvement. Yet, not only the guests but the Affectionate Blossom Sect’s disciples were charging into the battlefield?
Yo Bulbeom rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“That profit-obsessed old hag sent her disciples to fight for someone else’s successor?” The Affectionate Blossom Sect had at least eight thousand disciples.
If Geuk Hyeryeong fully committed to the fight, the Flame Soul Corps would have no choice but to retreat.
“That can’t happen.” Yo Bulbeom clenched his fists tightly.
Even if the tide turned against them, there was one thing he had to do.
That pale-faced former Nangyang member—he had to eliminate him at all costs.
