Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 515

515. Poisonous Demon

Un Hyun walked towards Grand Master Il Dae’s palace, located in the deepest part of the Taoist temple.

It was his first time there, but Un Hyun didn’t hesitate at all.

He had clearly sensed Grand Master Il Dae’s presence from the moment he entered Mount Yeo.

Step.

Un Hyun had just reached the front of the middle gate leading to Grand Master Il Dae’s palace.

Swish.

Two killing intents silently rushed towards Un Hyun.

Guest Elder frowned as Un Hyun raised his sword in its scabbard.

Thwack.

Embedded in the scabbard were two slender needles.

They were so small they were barely visible, but there was no time to examine the silver needles.

Whoosh.

Un Hyun immediately drew his sword.

Turning, he swung it towards the Grand Palace Lord.

Clang.

A sharp sound erupted.

The Grand Palace Lord couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Two swords and a dagger were facing each other above her head: Bingseol and Un Hyun’s swords, and the dagger in the hand of a woman in red clothes who had intervened to protect the Grand Palace Lord.

The jet-black dagger trembled, unable to reach its intended target, the Grand Palace Lord.

“Hmph.”

With a short snort, the woman in red immediately leaped backward.

Meanwhile, Bingseol stood protectively in front of the Grand Palace Lord.

Swoosh.

The woman in red gracefully twisted her body in the air and landed lightly on the ground.

Thud.

It was none other than Dokyo.

Dokyo, wearing revealing red clothes, flipped her hair back.

“You must be the Azure Dragon Sword Master,” she asked, her red lips glistening.

Even with just that, a bewitching aura flowed out, overflowing.

It was a coquetry that was completely different from beauty or charm, enough to confuse anyone who saw it.

But Un Hyun sheathed his sword and said in a calm voice.

Clang.

Un Hyun’s sword, Myeong, disappeared from view.

The woman in red, Dokyo, asked, “Why are you sheathing your sword? I am your enemy.”

She still held the dagger in her hand.

Un Hyun stared straight at Dokyo.

After a moment of silence, he asked, “Then why didn’t you aim for me?”

“Because I thought that would make you suffer more.”

Dokyo smiled.

Unlike before, it was a very natural smile, but no one could know its true intent.

“Killing that woman would give you more pain and despair than death.” Dokyo said, moving her red lips.

Un Hyun did not answer.

A strange light flashed in Dokyo’s eyes.

“Or is that woman not enough?”

Un Hyun was still silent.

After a moment of silence, he quietly opened his mouth.

“Who are you?”

“Dokyo.”

Dokyo answered without hesitation.

“That’s who I am. My name and life given by the Grand Master, and everything I am.”

Her eyes were shining.

But Guest Elder, who was watching, frowned.

Dokyo’s eyes reflected obsession and madness rather than pride or joy.

“You should be grateful to the Grand Master,” Dokyo said to Un Hyun with a thin smile.

“If he hadn’t told me to leave you alone, you would be writhing in hellish pain by now.”

Un Hyun let out a light laugh.

Dokyo’s eyes changed sharply in an instant.

“Why? Do you think I can’t do it?” Dokyo said in a voice dripping with murderous intent.

But Un Hyun’s expression did not change at all.

“There is room for debate as to whether you can do that.”

Looking intently at Dokyo, Un Hyun sighed softly.

“You haven’t changed at all. You.”

A look of bewilderment crossed Dokyo’s eyes.

She glared at Un Hyun and said, “…Do you know me?”

“Doesn’t matter anyway, does it?” Un Hyun continued quietly.

“Because you are Dokyo now.”

Dokyo bit her lip.

But as Un Hyun said, it didn’t matter what he knew.

The name and life she received from Grand Master Il Dae were enough.

However, Un Hyun’s appearance and every word he said, especially his relaxed attitude as if he knew everything, were simply unpleasant.

“Yes. You’re right.”

Dokyo wore a bitter smile.

At the same time, a sticky energy began to pour out of her.

“Because I am Dokyo (毒妖), the Poisonous Demon.” [Dok (毒) means poison, and Yo (妖) means demon or enchantress. Dokyo is a name implying a poisonous, demonic woman.]

Whoooong.

The energy, comparable to that of top masters but sharp and eerie, was truly worthy of being called demonic energy (妖氣) [Yaoqi, often translated as demonic energy, is a type of energy associated with demons and monsters in East Asian folklore].

Dokyo immediately spread her arms.

Thwack, thwack.

Dozens of silver needles poured out of Dokyo’s hands.

“Hmm.”

Guest Elder frowned, and Bingseol immediately raised her sword.

But there was no need.

“It’s alright.”

Whoosh.

With a quiet word, Un Hyun raised his sword in its scabbard.

At the same time, the silver needles that were shooting towards him changed direction as if by magic.

As if drawn to Un Hyun’s scabbard, the silver needles rushed towards him without exception.

Clang, clang, clang.

The silver needles made a sound as they pierced the scabbard.

The silver needles, which had poured out in an instant, trembled in the sunlight.

“Hmph.”

Dokyo sneered.

“How did you know?”

Her silver needles were aiming for Un Hyun from the beginning.

Un Hyun slowly lowered his scabbard.

“Because the person you hate the most is me.”

Dokyo’s silver needles were relentlessly aiming for Un Hyun’s heart and face.

That’s why it wasn’t difficult to block them.

Gritting.

At that sight, Dokyo gritted her teeth.

Her anger towards Un Hyun was so great that she couldn’t understand it herself.

Originally, she would have aimed for the people around him first, but the moment she faced Un Hyun’s face, she couldn’t suppress the sudden surge of hostility.

“Why did you aim for the face?” Guest Elder suddenly asked.

The face was definitely a vital point, but unlike the heart, it wasn’t enough to kill instantly.

Dokyo flinched, then soon wore a sneer.

“Because I hate looking at it.”

Dokyo smiled, looking at Un Hyun instead of Guest Elder.

“Your face somehow makes me want to throw up just looking at it. I used my hands without even realizing it.”

The Grand Palace Lord’s expression hardened at the blatant mockery.

But Un Hyun remained calm.

“You are no match for me,” Un Hyun said, looking at Dokyo.

“Wouldn’t it be wiser to save your life for later rather than throwing it away in vain?”

“Whether I can be a match or not is something you only know by fighting,” Dokyo replied in a clear voice.

“But there’s some truth in what you say. Since you can’t be a match for that person anyway, it wouldn’t be a wise decision for me to step in now.”

Dokyo’s flashing gaze was directed straight at Un Hyun.

“But how can I, of all people, stand by and watch you dare to oppose the Grand Master….”

Thwack.

Before she could finish speaking, Dokyo kicked off the ground.

Whoosh.

Dokyo rushed towards Un Hyun in an instant.

“How can I just stand by!”

Un Hyun drew his sword without delay.

And the next moment…

Kaboom.

The impact created an explosion that enveloped the surroundings.

The Grand Palace Lord raised her hand to cover her face, and Guest Elder frowned.

Even Bingseol’s sword revealed its sword energy.

But Dokyo’s dagger was blocked by Un Hyun’s Myeong.

Whoooong.

Myeong cried out softly.

Dokyo’s dagger also made a sound, shining its jet-black blade.

Kiiiing.

With the blade between them, Dokyo smiled at Un Hyun from right in front of him.

“Even the sword’s name makes an unpleasant sound. How can you….”

Swoosh.

Dokyo’s body spun around.

And the jet-black blade rushed towards Un Hyun.

“Everything you do makes me angry? How can you!”

Clang, clang, clang.

Dokyo’s dagger was fast and sharp.

Her rapid attacks at close range were undeniably threatening.

But Un Hyun was blocking all of her attacks just by moving Myeong little by little.

‘Ah.’

The Grand Palace Lord let out a silent sigh.

The current scene was reminiscent of the duel between Un Hyun and Bingseol on the shores of West Lake.

But unlike then, Un Hyun’s expression was stiff.

In Un Hyun’s sunken eyes, there was no excitement in facing a top master, nor any enthusiasm for martial arts (武) [Wu, referring to martial arts or military affairs].

Dokyo couldn’t possibly not know that.

Gritting.

Dokyo gritted her teeth.

“Haa!”

With a sharp shout, Dokyo’s energy exploded.

At the same time, an eerie energy began to gather on her dagger.

The red energy gathering on the jet-black blade was even more terrifying.

‘That’s!’

Guest Elder’s eyes widened for a moment.

Although the appearance was different, it was clearly Poisonous Energy Art.

The Poisonous Energy Art, which was considered the exclusive property of the Tang family, had now appeared in Il Eun and now even in Dokyo.

Kaboom, kaboom.

Each of Dokyo’s rapid attacks that poured down like rain was extremely deadly.

But Un Hyun was still receiving those deadly attacks with the same expression.

Clang, clang, kaboom.

An explosion erupted, and Dokyo flew backward.

It was that moment.

Whoosh.

Un Hyun’s figure seemed to slide through the air as if stretched out.

It was so fast that an afterimage remained.

Dokyo’s eyes widened.

And she immediately reached out her hand.

Thwack.

A chilling sound echoed.

And the jet-black dagger in Dokyo’s hand fell to the ground.

Clang.

“Ha.”

Dokyo let out a hollow laugh.

Her two hands were stretched out towards Un Hyun, but she couldn’t reach him.

Because Un Hyun’s sword, Myeong, was accurately embedded in her dantian [The dantian is a center of energy in the body, often located in the abdomen].

“I thought you were a fool who couldn’t even touch a woman….”

Dokyo’s gaze trembled.

“You don’t hesitate to stab with a sword. Just like back then.”

She was smiling thinly, but Dokyo’s eyes, looking at Un Hyun, were still venomous.

Her two hands, reaching for Un Hyun’s neck, were also wriggling like the claws of a beast trying to devour its prey.

If that white and slender hand were to touch him, Un Hyun’s neck would be torn to shreds.

“What did you just say?” Un Hyun asked.

But Dokyo retorted instead.

“What?”

Looking at her eyes, Un Hyun quietly sighed.

And he drew his sword.

Swish.

“Agh!”

Dokyo twitched and convulsed.

And as if all her strength had run out, she collapsed as she was.

From the moment she was stabbed by Un Hyun’s sword, all of her inner strength was scattering like a lie.

Thud.

Dokyo, who had collapsed as if falling, struggled to catch her breath.

She quickly moved her gaze, but the dagger she had dropped was lying out of reach.

Biting her lip, she raised her head and looked up at Un Hyun.

“…How did you do that?”

“Doesn’t matter, does it?” Un Hyun said quietly.

“Because what you want is not an answer.”

Dokyo’s eyebrows twitched.

In fact, she wasn’t interested in how Un Hyun had done this.

She was just trying to buy as much time as possible and look for an opportunity.

That’s why she asked: a question that the other person would want to answer the most.

“Ha, really.”

She gave a bitter smile and glared at Un Hyun with a venomous gaze.

“Why do you know me so well? Who the hell are you?”

“I am Un Hyun.”

Clang.

Un Hyun answered quietly, sheathing his sword.

“And I don’t know you. Because you are Dokyo.”

“Ha.”

Dokyo let out a hollow laugh.

“Really, you….”

She tried to grind her teeth and glare, but Dokyo’s vision was already blurring.

Even if she tried to pour out curses, she no longer had the strength to speak.

“…To the end, you….”

Dokyo couldn’t continue speaking.

She lost strength and slumped to the side.

Thud.

Dokyo’s eyes closed.

There was no more terrifying demonic energy or seductive coquetry.

With her hair scattered all around, Dokyo was just lying there quietly.

Rustle.

Un Hyun turned his body.

Bingseol, who had been protecting the Grand Palace Lord, also sheathed her sword and looked at the fallen Dokyo.

Dokyo was still alive.

Her inner strength had scattered, and she would face death soon due to blood loss, but it was clear that she was still alive.

Bingseol looked back at the Grand Palace Lord.

But the Grand Palace Lord shook her head.

Because Un Hyun couldn’t possibly not know that fact.

If Un Hyun wanted to leave her alone, she had no choice but to follow.

Step.

Un Hyun quietly moved his steps.

Guest Elder, the Grand Palace Lord, and Sa Ilcheon, who had been silently watching, also followed Un Hyun.

Bingseol glanced at Dokyo one last time before turning her body.

Step, step.

As they left, the surface of Dokyo’s face began to crumble little by little.

What appeared there was a hideously distorted and scorched skin.