KWAANG—!

The ground exploded.

His body vanished.

Ghost Shadow Step.

Three afterimages lunged toward Seol Unhwi at the same time.

Left. Right. Front.

Seol Unhwi’s eyes moved in a flash.

The front.

He swung his sword.

WHOOM—!

An illusion.

From the left, the air tore apart with a shriek. He turned his head. He retrieved the Trueflame Heavenly-Spirit Sword and raised it straight to the side, but—

Slash—!

Murong Nantian’s blade grazed his flank.

His clothes tore. A shallow wound opened. Seeing the blood flowing from it, Murong Nantian curled his lips into a grin and kicked off the ground again.

This time, faster.

Five afterimages.

No—seven.

Blades came from all directions.

SHIIK—! SHIIK—! SHIIK—!

Seol Unhwi swung his sword to block.

CLANG—! KANG—!

Two were real.

The rest were illusions.

But Murong Nantian’s sword once again grazed Seol Unhwi’s shoulder.

Slash—!

This time, deeper.

Blood scattered.

“Go on—try talking again like before!”

Murong Nantian laughed as he swung his sword.

Ghost-Eyed Sword Art.

Chapter Six: Phantom Ghost Dance.

Demonic energy erupted from his body.

In an instant, twenty clones were formed.

All of them held swords, all aimed at Seol Unhwi.

The twenty moved simultaneously.

Blades surged from every direction.

SHIIIIIK—!

Seol Unhwi swung his sword.

CLANG—! KANG—! CLANG—!

He blocked three.

But the rest—

THUD—! SLASH—! RIP—!

Back. Arm. Thigh.

Three strikes pierced in and tore back out.

Not deep—but the blood loss was substantial.

Seol Unhwi stepped back, and Murong Nantian laughed again.

A laugh filled with certainty of victory.

This time, the clones unleashed sword qi all at once.

SHIIK—! SHIIK—! SHIIK—!

Sword qi imbued with demonic energy.

And not just that—sword qi formed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Power that could not even be compared to ordinary sword qi.

It was obvious.

Murong Nantian was trying to end the battle.

Seol Unhwi kicked off the ground and shifted sideways.

Shadowless Step.

But one strand of sword qi grazed his flank.

Slash—!

Blood sprayed.

Demonic energy seeped into the wound.

Murong Nantian flinched.

Something was wrong.

Seol Unhwi rose again.

Clearly, he had been wounded in multiple places—but why... wasn’t the blood continuing to flow?

Murong Nantian narrowed his eyes.

White mist was rising from various points across Seol Unhwi’s body.

Those exact places where he had been pierced and cut.

Then Murong Nantian’s eyes widened.

He saw it clearly.

In that brief moment—

Every single one of Seol Unhwi’s wounds had already closed.

“Wh... what...?”

Seol Unhwi adjusted his grip on his sword.

“I had a good medicinal pellet before coming.”

“......”

“Please, continue.”

Murong Nantian’s face twisted.

“You filthy—!”

He drew up more internal energy.

Red light burst from his eyes.

Ghost Eyes. Ghost Vision.

The technique that gave rise to his title—Ghost-Eyed Demon Lord.

He could see how an opponent’s energy flowed.

Not merely movement—

He could discern the reality behind techniques, the amount and direction of gathered force, separate truth from illusion.

Murong Nantian was now looking directly into Seol Unhwi.

His energy spread from the dantian outward.

First to the legs.

Seol Unhwi moved.

When his right foot stepped, energy gathered there. When the weight shifted, it moved to the left.

The distance closed.

Seol Unhwi raised his sword.

Where—

The flow gathered.

To the right.

The right.

Murong Nantian immediately aimed for Seol Unhwi’s blind spot and swung.

But—

Seol Unhwi moved left.

“...What—”

Murong Nantian tried to withdraw his sword, but it was too late.

Seol Unhwi’s blade grazed his shoulder.

Slash—!

Blood flowed.

“How...?”

“It’s well known in Murim that Senior Murong’s eyes can read energy.”

“......”

“Did you think I wouldn’t be able to respond?”

Seol Unhwi kicked off the ground.

Heavenly Ascendant Flowing Shadow Step.

In an instant, he reached Murong Nantian’s face.

He swung.

Murong Nantian hastily raised his sword to block.

CLANG—!

But the impact was heavy.

Screech—

He was pushed back.

...What kind of strength...

It had only been a day since the battle with Seol Cheonhwa.

How could he be this intact?

Seol Unhwi swung again.

This time, consecutively.

CLANG—! KANG—! CLANG—!

Three strikes.

Murong Nantian blocked them all—but was steadily driven back.

His teeth clenched.

He spun his body and retreated.

Distance opened.

Immediately, he raised his sword.

Demonic energy condensed into the blade.

In response, Seol Unhwi’s hair turned white.

Murong Nantian flinched—but only for a moment.

He poured everything into the strike.

Ghost-Eyed Sword Art.

Chapter Nine: Demon Soul Flash.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth shot forward in a straight line.

Seol Unhwi gripped his sword tightly and swung.

Absolute Ice Returning to the Void Sword.

White sword qi split through the crimson blade and surged forward.

KWA—AAAAANG—!

The two forces collided and exploded.

Dust surged upward.

Murong Nantian hurriedly scanned his surroundings.

His Ghost Eyes flared.

The scattered energy was gathering in one direction.

Behind him.

He spun and raised his sword—

KWA—AAAAANG—!!

The counterattack came instantly. Seol Unhwi struck it aside.

KAAANG—!!

Sparks burst.

Both men’s hands trembled—but neither showed it.

Murong Nantian thrust.

Seol Unhwi brought his blade down.

KWAANG—!!

Murong Nantian’s sword slammed into the ground.

Seol Unhwi immediately retrieved his blade, spun his body, and slashed.

Murong Nantian released his sword and snapped his head back.

Slash—!

The flesh beneath his jaw split open.

Murong Nantian stepped back and extended his hand—the fallen sword rose into the air and flew back toward him.

Seol Unhwi gave him no time.

His eyes turned white.

Heavenly Snow Domain.

CRACK—!

Murong Nantian’s sword froze.

Seol Unhwi immediately kicked off the ground and swung.

Horizontal.

SHIIK—!

Murong Nantian bent his upper body backward.

The long blade passed just before his nose.

The second strike followed instantly.

Vertical.

Murong Nantian twisted his body.

Slash—!

The blade grazed his shoulder.

Third.

Diagonal.

Murong Nantian used Ghost Shadow Step.

His body vanished.

WHOOOM—!

The sword cut empty air.

Fourth strike.

Seol Unhwi raised his sword and slashed upward behind him.

Murong Nantian, who thought he had taken his back, recoiled in shock and leaned his head away—but—

RIP—!

He could not stop the blade from carving across his face.

In that instant, Murong Nantian’s left hand moved.

His palm struck toward Seol Unhwi’s shoulder.

KWAANG—!

It hit.

Seol Unhwi slid sideways and spoke briefly.

“You’ve made quite a stronger impression.”

His face had been split open—down to the ear.

Blood streamed from the ear that had been nearly severed. It was a striking sight.

Murong Nantian’s brow twisted as he rushed in again.

No weapon—but that was fine.

Better, even.

Seol Unhwi’s weapon was a long sword.

No matter how skilled one was, weapon reach was a decisive factor in battle.

And Seol Unhwi knew that as well.

As Murong Nantian charged—

Seol Unhwi threw the Trueflame Heavenly-Spirit Sword.

Murong Nantian faltered for an instant.

In that moment—

Seol Unhwi kicked off the ground.

KWAANG—!

He arrived before him instantly.

A fist shot forward.

Murong Nantian raised his arm.

KWAANG—!

He blocked—but immediately, Seol Unhwi’s left hand seized his wrist.

His knee rose.

CRACK—!

It slammed into Murong Nantian’s abdomen.

“Ghk—!”

His organs twisted.

Murong Nantian clenched his teeth.

He immediately threw a punch.

A fist imbued with demonic energy.

KWAANG—!

It struck Seol Unhwi’s side.

His body staggered.

His ribs cracked.

Blood rose to his mouth.

But it didn’t matter.

Pain was familiar.

His elbow swung instantly—

Toward Murong Nantian’s face.

THUD—!

The nose shattered.

“Ghk—!”

Murong Nantian staggered back.

Blood poured.

He counterattacked immediately.

A palm strike with his right hand—

With a broken arm.

PAANG—!

It struck Seol Unhwi’s shoulder.

CRACK—!

The bone shattered.

Seol Unhwi groaned.

His shoulder dropped limp.

Only his left arm moved properly.

He didn’t stop.

He drove his left fist forward.

Into Murong Nantian’s side.

KWAANG—!

“Gah—!”

Murong Nantian’s ribs broke as well.

He spat blood.

But he did not stop.

He grabbed Seol Unhwi’s collar with his left hand.

Then slammed his head forward.

BOOM—!

Into Seol Unhwi’s brow.

Blood burst.

Seol Unhwi’s head snapped back.

Immediately, he kicked.

His foot drove into Murong Nantian’s solar plexus.

KWAANG—!

Murong Nantian slid backward.

Seol Unhwi’s white hair remained unchanged.

White mist rose from his body.

His shattered shoulder bone rejoined.

The wound vanished. The blood stopped. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Murong Nantian’s eyes widened as Seol Unhwi charged again.

Immortal Vajra Palm.

PAAAAANG—!

A palm flew toward Murong Nantian’s chest.

He raised his arm to block.

No—he only appeared to.

The palm brushed past his arm and struck his chest directly.

KWA—AAAAANG—!!

Murong Nantian was blasted backward.

He rolled across the ground, then forced himself up—blood pouring from his mouth.

What kind of... monster...

Seol Unhwi was walking toward him.

His wounds were visibly healing in real time.

Murong Nantian clenched his fist.

All his remaining strength—

Demonic energy exploded outward, hundreds of fragments of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth bursting in all directions.

He kicked off the ground.

He drove his fist toward Seol Unhwi.

Ghost-Eyed Fist Art.

Hundred Ghosts Chaotic Dance Fist.

Hundreds of fragments surged at once.

Seol Unhwi raised his arms to block.

KWAANG—! KWAANG—! KWAANG—!

Fragments slammed into his arms, shoulders, chest.

THUD—! SLASH—! RIP—!

Blood burst.

But Seol Unhwi did not stop.

He walked forward.

One step. Two.

The fragments continued to pierce him—

But the white mist rising from his wounds began restoring them.

Murong Nantian’s eyes shook.

He poured out more demonic energy.

Hundreds became thousands.

KWA—AAAAAAANG—!

Seol Unhwi’s entire body was engulfed.

Blood poured like a waterfall.

Seol Unhwi kicked off the ground.

Heavenly Ascendant Flowing Shadow Step.

He evaded all the fragments—

And appeared behind Murong Nantian.

His raised arm came crashing down.

KWA—AAAAANG—!!

Murong Nantian was sent flying forward.

He barely regained his footing and spun around.

His reason wavered.

His eyes turned completely red.

He clenched his fist.

Ghost God Frenzied Strike Fist.

Chapter Three: Madness.

Murong Nantian charged, fists raining down.

Seol Unhwi did not dodge.

He threw his own fists forward.

KWAANG—! KWAANG—! KWAANG—! KWAANG—!

Two with the right.

Two with the left.

Blood sprayed from their fists.

Bones slipped out of place.