Chapter 213: The Plum Blossom's Fragrance Fills Ten Thousand Miles
Unlike Gongbok, Ak Bulhui was not strong enough to completely disregard my attacks.
In the future I had seen, I had clearly severed one of his arms.
Gongbok is stronger than Ak Bulhui.
It might be a matter of compatibility, but at least based on my encounters, Gongbok is a far more challenging opponent.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Ak Bulhui can be taken down quickly.
That visible violet sword aura.
Even I would be in danger if hit by that.
Just as my claws could cut through his arm, his sword could sever mine.
I needed to give it my all to defeat Ak Bulhui.
“What are you thinking about? I’ve shown you my power, so isn’t it only natural for you to reveal what you’ve been hiding as well?”
This guy also knew I had been holding back.
The emotions I held toward him went beyond simple anger.
If I failed to stop him, my precious followers would all die, and everyone connected to me would suffer.
No matter what, I had to kill him.
My hidden trump card was gigantification.
Over the past month, I had been gradually applying miniaturization, so if I undid it now, I could leap to a size comparable to Gongbok’s.
But this was a card I had prepared specifically to face Gongbok.
Killing Ak Bulhui wouldn’t mean the end of the fight.
I’d have to take down Gongbok as well to truly end this war.
Although the Snake Queen and the Bird King were holding Gongbok in check, they weren’t causing significant damage.
They were merely using continuous firepower to keep Gongbok from advancing.
Even if their attacks couldn’t penetrate his skin, they were at least able to push his massive body back.
The rock snakes, presumed to be Gongbok’s subordinates, were shattered from the sheer impact of the attacks.
But if the battle dragged on, Gongbok would eventually endure the Snake Queen and Bird King’s attacks and push forward.
I had to finish Ak Bulhui without using gigantification.
That was the only way to save everyone.
“Grrrr….”
I planted both feet on the ground and surrounded both hands with sword energy.
It was obvious what would happen if my sword energy collided with his sword aura.
In other words, I simply needed to avoid a direct clash.
With my fastest movements, I had to dodge all his attacks.
And I had to ensure all my strikes landed.
“Do you need to lose an arm before you give it your all? If that’s your choice….”
The middle-aged swordsman slowly walked toward me.
“I’ll respect it.”
Though his movements were slow, there were no openings.
This was the power of a leader of a martial sect and one of the ten strongest warriors under heaven.
My entire body trembled, but I shook off the fear.
Flash!
Just as I was about to rush at him—
Fwoooosh!
Boom!
A massive flame erupted between me and Ak Bulhui.
Flames shaped like the character for “big.”
I immediately knew whose flames those were.
“I wanted to tell the little one to give up what should be given up, but geez, how persistent. How did they know I swallowed a core and prepare for this?”
The Red Dragon, in her human form, approached me.
Tang So-yeong’s poison had completely neutralized the Red Dragon’s core.
“Really…. It’s been so long since I’ve felt this way. No, this might actually be the first time.”
Fwoooosh!
Once again, fierce flames roared.
Swoosh!
Ak Bulhui’s sword cut through the flames.
“Red Dragon. So, you’ve finally betrayed us.”
Ak Bulhui glared coldly at the Red Dragon.
“Betrayal? How ridiculous, really.”
The Red Dragon glared back at Ak Bulhui with fiery eyes.
“Little one.”
As if holding back an overwhelming emotion, she squeezed out her words to me.
“No, my Divine Beast.”
Fwoosh.
“I’ll handle this here.”
Was she planning to face Ak Bulhui alone?
It was true her involvement shifted the scales in our favor, but it was far too dangerous.
Ak Bulhui’s sword could easily pierce the Red Dragon’s scales.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t lose anyone?”
The Red Dragon smiled as she usually did.
“I’ll take care of Ak Bulhui… so our Divine Beast, please do what you need to do.”
Even for the Red Dragon, it would be hard to guarantee victory.
But the moment our eyes met, I found myself unable to respond with anything else.
The will to face anyone and anything radiated from her at that moment.
“Geh-gek.”
As the Divine Beast of the Gecko Faith, I issued a command to the faithful.
Do not die.
And take responsibility for dealing with him.
Ak Bulhui stood still, gazing at the Red Dragon.
The Red Dragon had defected.
That meant the core had been neutralized.
Despite confirming several times that even the Red Dragon’s fire couldn’t deal with the core, what on earth was happening now?
Even if she betrayed them, they hadn’t prepared a solid countermeasure, thinking they had more to gain.
If she went berserk and lost her life, they could take her core, and such a display could have shaken Komodo’s resolve.
“Was she acting from the start? If she didn’t have the confidence to destroy the core, she couldn’t have come up with this plan.”
Ak Bulhui muttered as if finding the situation amusing.
They had lost their leader.
To be precise, it was closer to Ak Bulhui not chasing him.
He hadn’t made a concerted effort to stop him.
There was no way Gongbok could lose to him, and it wasn’t possible to look away while facing a being as formidable as the Red Dragon.
It would be more beneficial for the war if Ak Bulhui himself handled the Red Dragon.
Based on what he knew of Gongbok, the Red Dragon would be a trickier opponent than Komodo.
“Indeed. I’ve always wanted to face you properly.”
And deep inside, his competitive spirit burned.
Though it wasn’t something befitting the leader of a martial sect, he was a warrior before he was a sect leader.
“But, can you do it?”
Ak Bulhui spoke in a cold voice.
“Can you withstand Ak Bulhui’s sword?”
The Red Dragon stared in the direction where Komodo had disappeared for a long time, then picked up a sword that had fallen carelessly on the ground.
“Yes, reducing my size is better if I’m to face you.”
Fwoooosh.
The Red Dragon’s flames wrapped around the sword she held.
“A sword… do you think you can defeat me with a sword?”
The Red Dragon silently assumed her stance.
Ak Bulhui also took his stance, waiting for her to move.
Clang!
The Red Dragon moved first.
With swift movements, she swung her sword horizontally, and Ak Bulhui naturally raised his sword to block the attack.
Clang!
Plum blossoms and flames collided.
“You’ve learned a thing or two!”
Ak Bulhui displayed the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
The plum blossoms, initially a mere flower, attracted butterflies and began to emit heat.
Clang, clang, clang!
His profound internal energy made faint plum blossoms appear just from swinging his sword.
In response, the Red Dragon’s swordsmanship also used the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
But instead of "plum blossoms" (花), hers used "fire" (火).
Scorching flames gathered around her sword, seemingly ready to burn Ak Bulhui’s plum blossoms.
Swoosh!
Fwoooosh!
However, in terms of pure swordsmanship, Ak Bulhui was a step ahead.
Moreover, the difference in the swords they wielded was significant.
Once sword energy and sword aura were infused into a weapon, the quality of the sword itself mattered less.
But when masters of equal caliber fought to the death, even the smallest differences could decide the outcome.
Ak Bulhui wielded the treasured sword of the volcano, forged from volcanic meteoric iron, while the Red Dragon had merely picked up an unnamed sword that happened to be nearby.
Slash!
Splat!
A plum blossom petal slashed the Red Dragon’s thigh.
She staggered briefly, as if losing her balance, but quickly regained her composure and swung her sword wide.
Fwoooosh!
Boom!
Ak Bulhui quickly created distance with agile movements.
“Your spirit is commendable, but… to think you could defeat me with a sword. How arrogant.”
Lijamoun let out ragged breaths.
She had destroyed the core, but the side effects were not negligible.
Having consumed part of her internal energy, her power was now weaker than usual.
“You talk too damn much!”
Fwoooosh!
A rain of fire poured down, and pillars of flame erupted from the ground.
Boom!
“Gahhh!”
“Ughhh!”
The Plum Blossom Sword Masters fighting nearby suffered severe damage from her flames.
Thanks to White Wolf, who ran around the battlefield providing icy energy to allies, the followers of Komodo were able to withstand the fiery aura.
Her destructive power was truly overwhelming.
As a mid-level dragon species, she possessed power comparable to the head of the volcano sect.
But in one-on-one combat, she couldn’t match Ak Bulhui.
As time passed, her flames weakened, while Ak Bulhui’s plum blossom aura grew stronger.
“Is this all you’ve got? Perhaps you should revert to your dragon form instead.”
Clang!
“Huff….”
Ak Bulhui was undeniably strong.
While her famed flames had failed to inflict significant damage on him, Ak Bulhui’s sword continued to pierce her tough body.
As time went on, the Red Dragon’s situation grew increasingly dire.
But she did not give up.
Crunch.
The Red Dragon gritted her teeth and raised her sword once more.
“Are you coming at me with that sword again?”
Ak Bulhui frowned.
Her swordsmanship was several levels below his.
After all, the Red Dragon was not a human but a spiritual beast.
There was no way she had learned human swordsmanship.
He had tried teaching her before, but the Red Dragon had merely acknowledged the existence of such techniques without taking them seriously.
In other words, she was now confronting Ak Bulhui with techniques she was unfamiliar with.
“What do you think you can achieve with such half-baked swordsmanship?”
Doubt began to form.
Why was she so insistent on using the sword?
He was not just anyone; he was the sect leader of Hwasan.
To challenge someone like him with a sword?
And with plum blossom swordsmanship, no less?
No, it couldn’t even be called proper plum blossom swordsmanship.
“Half-baked, you say? That’s a bit harsh.”
“What else could it be when someone who doesn’t even understand the essence of Hwasan’s sword wields it?”
The Red Dragon was an oddball.
She had entered Hwasan but didn’t truly understand it.
She had only climbed the mountain because she liked the name Hwasan.
She mocked the sect by calling her fire-laden swordsmanship "plum blossom swordsmanship."
Swoosh!
This time, Ak Bulhui moved first.
Every swing of his sword spread a subtle plum blossom fragrance.
Plum Blossom by the Wayside (매화노방), Plum Blossom Butterfly Dance (매화접무), Plum Blossom Spreading Elegance (매화토염), Plum Blossom Opening the Way (매개이도), Plum Blossom Falling Like Rain (매화낙섬), Plum Blossom Cascading Down (매화낙락), Plum Blossom Scattering in Chaos (매화빈분), Plum Blossom Blood Rain (매화혈우), and Plum Blossom Nine Transformations (매화구변).
Nine relentless forms targeted the Red Dragon’s neck.
Slash!
The Red Dragon gritted her teeth and blocked continuously, but her body accumulated small wounds with each clash.
The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, Tenth Form.
Plum Blossom in Full Bloom (매화만개).
Swish!
Ak Bulhui’s sword delivered a deep slash to the Red Dragon’s left shoulder.
Not even the Red Dragon could block that attack.
“How foolish. Even if you destroyed the core, your body must have suffered for it. It’s only natural that you can’t withstand my sword.”
Indeed, neutralizing the core had depleted a portion of the Red Dragon’s internal energy.
Had it not, she wouldn’t have allowed such a decisive strike to land.
Fwoooosh!
The Red Dragon didn’t respond and instead cauterized the wound with her flames to stop the bleeding.
The stench of burning flesh filled the air.
Despite the pain, the Red Dragon charged at Ak Bulhui once more.
Ak Bulhui couldn’t understand her.
The difference in skill was too stark.
In terms of raw power, they might be nearly equal.
Even though she was injured, as a mid-tier dragon species, the Red Dragon possessed strength far beyond that of ordinary humans.
She was strong enough to hold her own against Ak Bulhui, one of the Ten Strongest Under Heaven.
In terms of firepower, she even surpassed him.
Yet she was losing because she insisted on clashing swords.
If she abandoned the sword and fought another way, she might have a chance.
The Red Dragon likely knew this better than anyone.
Still, she clung to the sword.
Clang!
Once again, their swords collided.
Ak Bulhui decided it was time to end the fight.
He prepared to unleash Plum Blossom in Full Bloom once more.
Swish!
A deep gash suddenly appeared on Ak Bulhui’s thigh.
“Urgh!”
Instinctively, he swung his sword to drive the Red Dragon back and quickly retreated.
“What was it you said just now?”
The Red Dragon smirked slightly.
Ak Bulhui couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
The Red Dragon was fire incarnate.
Her sword possessed the power to burn everything, but its movements were too large to land a decisive blow on someone of Ak Bulhui’s caliber.
Yet she had wounded him.
Was it because he had let his guard down?
No, that wasn’t it.
“Maybe burning myself a little helped me focus. I couldn’t concentrate because I kept thinking about my beloved.”
Ak Bulhui glared at her.
It wasn’t because of her words.
Nor was it because she had inflicted an unexpected injury.
There was only one reason he was shaken.
The technique the Red Dragon had just used was too familiar.
An attack so natural, like a plum blossom falling to the ground.
An attack so subtle that one wouldn’t even think to dodge it.
“…What sorcery is this?”
That last strike was unmistakably part of the plum blossom swordsmanship.
“You… you bloomed a plum blossom?”
The Red Dragon could not possibly bloom a plum blossom.
Of all people, it was unthinkable for her to have done so.
“You don’t even understand what a plum blossom is! How dare you, in front of me!”
Uncharacteristically, Ak Bulhui was enraged.
The Red Dragon he knew didn’t understand plum blossoms.
A being who mockingly called her fire-laden swordsmanship the plum blossom sword technique could never bloom a plum blossom.
Disregarding his injury, Ak Bulhui unleashed his sword with lightning speed.
Falling plum blossoms scattered chaotically.
Plum Blossom Scattering in Chaos (매화분분).
Ak Bulhui’s deadly strike flew toward the Red Dragon’s neck.
What is a plum blossom?
Must it bloom red to be a plum blossom?
Then why does Hwasan strive to bloom plum blossoms?
Hwasan is a barren rocky mountain where no plum blossoms grow.
No flowing lava, no vibrant flowers—just a desolate rock.
If the essence of Hwasan’s sword is to bloom plum blossoms where none exist, how can a plum blossom be defined so narrowly?
The essence of a plum blossom was something else entirely.
“You dareeeee!”
A plum blossom is the first flower to bloom.
It endures the bitter winter and arrives with the early spring.
Thus, the flower that blooms from the Red Dragon, who has endured a merciless winter—
Fwoooosh.
Can only be called a plum blossom.
Plum Blossom’s Fragrance Fills Ten Thousand Miles (매화만리향).
Swish!
The sword of a dragon who sought flames on Hwasan bloomed plum blossoms across the barren mountain.