Chapter 156: Wait

Chwarureuk.

The Dragon King’s Scale held in his left hand separated into hundreds of blade scales. Hundreds of hidden weapons spread out in all directions.

Huuuuung—

Immediately after, Jang Woo-hyun used the Swirling Inhalation Breathing Technique to become a vortex of Qi, pulling in all surrounding energies.

The power was so immense that the space near Jang Woo-hyun distorted. It felt as if the surrounding space itself was being sucked into him.

‘I stretch it out.’

Hwaaak!

After reaching the Boundless Realm, he no longer needed to emit Qi Threads to the surroundings. Merely by thinking—by manifesting his will—the surrounding space responded to Jang Woo-hyun.

The tips of hundreds of blade scales pointed toward the sky, and an immense amount of energy surged forth.

Uuuuung—

Tremendous power was infused into the small blades.

Each blade prepared Annihilation Slash in accordance with Jang Woo-hyun’s will.

Ten, twenty, thirty, forty… surpassing one hundred, reaching one hundred fifty, one hundred sixty.

Though he couldn’t imbue power into every blade, the force within more than a hundred was already tremendous.

Each individual attack surpassed the destructive power of the Annihilation Slash used before.

Kugugung!

As over a hundred Annihilation Slashes were prepared, the pressure weighing down from all directions surged. With a thunderous roar, the surroundings shook violently.

A silver hand descended, pressing down on the world as though the heavens were collapsing.

Fixing his gaze on the silver sky, Jang Woo-hyun drew his arm back.

By now, the Black Wilds Sword had also been infused with tremendous power.

Holding his breath—

Jang Woo-hyun unleashed his sword.

Simultaneously, one hundred sixty Annihilation Slashes poured upward toward the sky.

Kwaaaaaaang!!

More than a hundred pillars of light became one, and in an instant, the world was bathed in light.

The light that covered all of heaven and earth faded.

Even after the attack that seemed like it could pierce the sky, Jang Woo-hyun remained tense, preparing for the next strike.

Kugugugu—

The oppressive pressure weighing down from all directions still had not dissipated.

Each strike of Annihilation Slash now carried incomparable might compared to before. He had unleashed over a hundred such attacks.

It was a force powerful enough to devastate an entire Floating Continent, yet the massive silver hand had not vanished.

‘It’s not going to be easy.’

Jang Woo-hyun trembled before the absurd scale of its power.

It was difficult to estimate the full magnitude of the strength possessed by a True Immortal.

‘But it worked.’

The silver hand reflected in Jang Woo-hyun’s eyes looked different from before.

A hole had been pierced through the palm, and two fingers had disappeared.

Through the attack just now, Jang Woo-hyun had, in any case, faced the power of a True Immortal differently than before.

Kwakwakwak! Kwagwang!

Perhaps enraged by Jang Woo-hyun’s attack, the colossal hand crashed down upon the sky of the Central Heavens Realm. As the hand descended, the pressure intensified, and storms raged in all directions.

Jang Woo-hyun readied his next strike to face it.

From the beginning, he had never thought that Annihilation Slash would be the end.

Chak.

He sheathed the Black Wilds Sword. Reaching out both hands, he focused his mind and gestured as if commanding.

The hundreds of blade scales floating around moved in accordance with Jang Woo-hyun’s will.

Into each blade, a fragment of Jang Woo-hyun’s will was engraved, and each tiny blade became Jang Woo-hyun himself.

From the small, thin blade scales emerged sword qi, forming into individual swords.

Hundreds of independently moving swords.

Before he realized, the area was filled with swords swung by hundreds of Jang Woo-hyuns. Those hundreds unleashed an uncountable number of sword techniques.

– I don’t know what Nayuta is.

– It’s a number. An incredibly large one. Practically infinite, you could say.

As the countless Jang Woo-hyuns executed innumerable sword techniques, a massive pattern rose in the air.

– Thousand-Handed Thunderous Mandala.

Just like the technique shown by Ma Moon-gi whom he encountered on the Dawn Continent.

It was a massive formation, worthy of being called a spell formation or magic circle, radiating with light.

He had continuously practiced it over Seo-hee Yong’s head while traveling. Though not yet perfected, it was usable.

Jang Woo-hyun unleashed all his strength.

Its name was derived from Kim Min-soo’s Hundred Martial Heaven Body – Nayuta Projection Technique and Ma Moon-gi’s Thousand-Handed Thunderous Mandala.

After reaching the Boundless Realm, this was the new martial art Jang Woo-hyun had created.

Nayuta Sword Mandala.

Just as the saying goes, “All flows eventually return to one origin”, a martial art that had reached its extremity resembled a spell, and a spell that had reached its apex resembled a martial art.

A martial art like sorcery. A martial art like magic. Something that transcended martial arts.

In an instant, the completed pattern radiated with explosive light, and immense power surged from within.

Hundreds of Jang Woo-hyuns executed thousands of sword techniques, generating hundreds of thousands of stances.

Those endlessly pouring stances surged like a wave, became a mighty river, and collided with the silver hand that filled the sky.

────────!!

An indescribable sound rang out, and the entire world shook.

Just the shockwave following the explosion tore the sky of the Central Heavens Realm.

In every direction, the sky fractured, revealing pitch-black darkness.

The clash between Jang Woo-hyun and the silver hand had torn a hole in the very fabric of the dimension.

After the shockwave and storm subsided—

Particles of silver light scattered across the pierced sky.

Within them, Jang Woo-hyun gazed into the void.

Chwarureuk. Chakak.

Pointing into the void with the Dragon King’s Scale, now once again a sword, Jang Woo-hyun opened his mouth.

“Wait.”

Through the power of World Restoration, the ruptured sky began to return to its original state.

But what Jang Woo-hyun was staring at was not that sky.

It was a presence far, far away, observing him from a distant place.

Heavenly Venerable of the Silver Radiance and Universal Transformation of the Three Pure Ones.

Without revealing its aura or exuding killing intent, Jang Woo-hyun spoke plainly to that being.

“I’ll be coming up soon.”

Just like the day he shattered the pavilion of the Red Division in the Central Plains and declared war on the Asura Sword Sect. After destroying a fragment of a True Immortal, Jang Woo-hyun proclaimed his declaration of war.

* * *

“Huuuu.”

Jang Woo-hyun had exerted a tremendous amount of power to face the Silver Hand.

Even for a martial artist of the Boundless Realm, exerting this much power inevitably led to exhaustion.

‘I want to lie down.’

Moreover, the Nayuta Sword Mandala was still an incomplete martial art. He had pushed himself too far in order to oppose the power of a True Immortal.

Feeling the fatigue, Jang Woo-hyun turned his body in the direction where Yong Seo-hee had flown.

Just as he was about to transform Dragon King’s Scale into wings and take flight—

“……!”

Sensing the energy, Jang Woo-hyun raised the Dragon King’s Scale.

It wasn’t a conscious decision. He instinctively sensed the danger, and his body reacted accordingly.

From within the scattered particles of silver light, a trajectory suddenly pierced down toward Jang Woo-hyun.

Kkuuuung!

“You filthy bastard!”

An attack aimed at an opening while he had let his guard down.

Fortunately, he reacted swiftly and blocked the True Immortal’s strike. As the shockwave erupted, Jang Woo-hyun was sent crashing downward.

“Keuh.”

An attack he had blocked in a state of exhaustion. The force was so great that he nearly lost consciousness.

‘That bastard True Immortal……’

So petty, launching a surprise attack when one is worn out.

What good is godlike power if the vessel is this small?

Cursing the True Immortal, Jang Woo-hyun steadied his mind.

He began to breathe, attempting once again to absorb the surrounding Qi.

‘Huh?’

But it didn’t go as he intended.

‘What is this?’

He breathed again and tried to move the little internal energy he had left, but he couldn’t absorb any of the surrounding Qi.

‘No, it’s not that I can’t absorb it—nothing’s moving. There’s simply not enough Qi around.’

It wasn’t like the Central Heavens Realm. It was more like the Lower Realm, where Qi was scarce. And even worse, the Qi refused to move according to his will.

Though momentarily flustered by the sudden change, Jang Woo-hyun quickly realized what was happening.

‘That filthy trick again!’

The silver light particles blanketing the area were interfering with the movement of surrounding Qi. Some of those particles were even absorbing the nearby Qi and growing larger.

‘So it’s not over yet?’

Even after being struck by Annihilation Slash and the Nayuta Sword Mandala, the power of the True Immortal hadn’t been fully extinguished.

‘Well, of course. That bastard was the same too.’

The Silver Giant hadn’t died easily either. Perhaps he had taken things too lightly.

Startled by the tenacity, Jang Woo-hyun began to gather his depleted strength.

Expanding his Will-Form Qi, he seized control of the surrounding space, then swung the Dragon King’s Scale to slash through everything in sight.

Thousands of sword qi surged outward in every direction, cutting through the silver particles, and a massive slash split the sky. Squeezing out every last drop of strength, he attacked all around.

Before long, Jang Woo-hyun had eliminated every floating particle of light in the air.

‘What a persistent bastard.’

Barely maintaining his position in midair, Jang Woo-hyun gasped heavily. Even after exhausting all his strength in battle, he had dug deeper to finally eradicate the True Immortal’s lingering power.

He now lacked even the energy to lift a finger.

Overwhelmed by fatigue, Jang Woo-hyun closed his eyes briefly and opened them again.

Then, from afar, a dragon with sky-colored scales flew toward him at high speed.

【Orabeoni!】

“Seo-hee…….”

Perhaps she hadn’t fled far—Yong Seo-hee quickly flew in and pressed her head gently against Jang Woo-hyun.

【Are you alright?】

“I told you to run far away.”

【How could I leave you behind alone, you’re my benefactor.】

“Thanks. Let me rest a bit.”

Jang Woo-hyun collapsed onto the transformed dragon form of Yong Seo-hee. At times like this, it was good to have a companion.

‘So this is why Senior Kim told me to make comrades……’

【Don’t worry, just rest well.】

Overcome by exhaustion, Jang Woo-hyun closed his eyes.

A bookstore located on the Samcheong Continent, the heart of the Central Heavens Martial Realm.

The short old man who owned the place was in truth the Supreme Elder of the Samcheong Taeguk Sect—Taecheong Divine Sovereign.

“How much time does Sword Sky Lord have left?”

Before Taecheong Divine Sovereign stood a young man, a follower of Sword Sky Lord, one of the Six Heavens.

“He’s only surviving through the power of his Projection. As for how much time he has left…”

Sword Sky Lord had lost his life in a battle with Dragon Heaven Lord, also one of the Six Heavens. He was currently sealing Dragon Heaven Lord with the power of his Projection.

“……At most, about half a year. It could end even sooner.”

Upon hearing this, Taecheong Divine Sovereign stroked his white beard.

“Half a year isn’t too short. What will you do now?”

“I’m not sure yet. When this is over, I’m considering helping the Sword Heaven Family, who are currently at war.”

“Is that so? Then may I ask you for a favor?”

“What kind of favor…?”

Hearing that the great figure of the Central Heavens Martial Realm was making a request, the young man tensed.

“You’ve heard of the Cheonrin Sword Alliance, haven’t you?”

“You mean Jang Woo-hyun of the Cheonrin Sword Alliance? I understand he’s currently missing.”

“I’d like you to find that young man. And if you do, tell him to come see me.”

“May I ask why?”

“I don’t know myself. I just feel I must meet him before time runs out. Call it an old man’s intuition.”

“……”

The young man unconsciously held his breath while listening.

It was only natural—this short old man before him was no ordinary martial artist.

Taecheong Divine Sovereign.

Supreme Elder of the Samcheong Taeguk Sect, the largest power in the Central Heavens Martial Realm, and one of the Ten Thrones’ top experts. His strength was said to rival the Six Heavens.

If such a man’s intuition was this strong, it likely bordered on foresight. If Taecheong Divine Sovereign felt compelled to meet someone, it was either fate or destiny.

“I’ll try to find him as quickly as possible. However, with his whereabouts unknown, I can’t guarantee success.”

“You’ll find him soon.”

Though he gave no explanation, the certainty in Taecheong Divine Sovereign’s tone left the young man with no further doubts.

“Then, I’ll be on my way at once.”

“Please do. I don’t have much time left to sit around in this little bookstore.”

For some unknown reason, one of the martial world’s greatest figures had begun searching for the returning Jang Woo-hyun.

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