Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 425

Thud! Thud!

Ha Se-min and the Eunha group moved with incredible speed.

Though the dense forest was in their path, it posed no obstacle to martial artists of their caliber.

The players following behind were no different.

The players of Eunha were not mere shields or expendable resources like those of other guilds.

They were all individuals who had achieved significant growth through blood cultivation, each reaching the level of a ranker [a high-level player].

Tap!

Though they might be less skilled than the martial artists of Eunha, they kept pace, not falling behind in speed.

Nothing could stop them.

Wham!

Their steps were fiercely fast and terrifyingly heavy.

Their expressions were also quite similar.

“…….”

Faces contorted with barely contained anger.

Their thoughts were the same.

‘If something has happened to him….’

Hwasan would become a true volcano.

The significance of Lee Ro-woon to the martial artists of Eunha was beyond words.

“If something has happened to him….”

The meaning Lee Ro-woon held for the players was also significant.

A savior and a guide.

Also, a leader who would liberate them.

“…….”

They moved forward with one heart and one mind.

-Maintain only the confrontation.

Ha Se-min communicated with the scouts through long-distance telepathy, made possible by blood cultivation, and directed them.

‘Hwasan’s power has been reinforced.’

Ha Se-min was the one who paid the most attention to and was most interested in the situation of Eun.

Also, information that satisfied that interest was coming in, and its quality was not lacking.

Not long ago, Ha Se-min learned something.

The reinforcement of Hwasan’s power.

No.

-A generational shift.

That was the form of the report that came in.

The old Plum Blossom Swordsmen had stepped down from their positions as corps commanders, and new Plum Blossom Swordsmen had taken their places.

All of them appeared to be young men and women.

-Their estimated level is at the peak of the profound realm, or even higher.

If the old Plum Blossom Swordsmen were at the boundary of breaking through the wall at the peak of the profound realm, these new ones might have already crossed it.

Also, their official title was the same as before, Plum Blossom Swordsmen, but the name they were actually called internally and externally was….

-True Plum Blossoms.

They were being called True Plum Blossoms, meaning true Plum Blossom Swordsmen.

To Ha Se-min, who knew all the circumstances and backstories of Eun, their existence was nothing but bothersome and filthy.

But what was certain was that they had become stronger.

Tap.

“What will you do about the True Plum Blossoms?”

Lee San-hoo approached Ha Se-min and asked.

As a strategist of Eunha, Lee San-hoo also knew about the identity of the True Plum Blossoms.

Tap.

Dang Hwa-young approached.

“It is said that there are two True Plum Blossoms deployed.”

Two who had surpassed the peak of the profound realm.

And also, the number of those who had newly become corps members with them was over a hundred.

“We’ll have to take care of them.”

Ha Se-min’s voice.

That was enough.

Nod.

Hwasan was strong.

But.

Woosh, Wham!

Eunha had also become strong.

He was confident that they could be on par, even if they couldn’t overwhelm them.

And finally, Ha Se-min began to slow down.

Whoosh!

A huge flow of energy, like a wave, could be felt there.

“Fall back.”

Ha Se-min, having completely slowed down, commanded his subordinates and moved forward.

In front of him.

“Ho, is that the Hao Clan Leader?”

The Hwasan forces were standing face to face, smiling.

* * *

“…….”

The main force of Eunha that had arrived, and the Hwasan forces, who could be called their enemies, were already standing there, looking at them.

‘Those are them.’

Even for Ha Se-min, there were two martial artists who were only faintly discernible.

No, they were too young and seemed too lacking to be called martial artists.

But he could tell.

‘Is it reverse aging, as reported?’

A martial artist who reached a certain level of mastery would undergo a metamorphosis.

They would reconstruct their bones and flesh to transform into a body more suitable for martial arts.

Along with that, they were also known to experience a kind of rejuvenation, regaining their youth.

But there was something even more special.

-Reverse aging.

That was reverse aging.

Reaching a level of mastery at the peak of martial arts inevitably involved a long period of time.

The higher the level of martial arts, the slower the aging, but there was a limit to that, and unless one learned a special martial art, even the most skilled could not avoid aging.

Even if such people underwent a metamorphosis, they would only regain a certain level of youth and extend their lives.

-In the end, they cannot avoid aging.

Aging ultimately meant the weakening of the body.

However, there were cases where they regained perfect youth, and that was the special experience called reverse aging.

However, unlike metamorphosis, it was not something that could be experienced immediately just because one’s level was high.

‘No.’

Looking at those called True Plum Blossoms, he thought it was reverse aging.

Because their eyes held the years and power that their bodies could never contain.

But.

“Crazy bastards.”

Ha Se-min said, his face contorting.

Ha Se-min, who had gained a deep understanding of the body by learning the Demonic Divine Art from Lee Ro-woon, could see it.

“Did you steal it?”

Their bodies were not from reverse aging but were actually those of someone young, and only what was contained within was that of some weathered and rotten martial artist.

“Huh, is that how the current Hao Clan Leader treats his seniors?”

“…….”

“But you have a good eye.”

The other party’s words were as good as acknowledging Ha Se-min’s story.

“Those righteous sects.”

Ha Se-min, who usually did not lose his manners, was different now.

Young children.

The weak and powerless.

That was the Hao Clan, to protect them.

But those people.

“For those who preach the Dao [the Way, a philosophical concept], isn’t this something that even a demonic cult would be ashamed of?”

They were nothing more than those who used and exploited such people.

“It is a great thing just to have become a part of the great Dao.”

There was none of that to be found in them.

“Also, if it is for a greater justice, shouldn’t you be even more grateful?”

Not a shred of guilt.

“…….”

Ha Se-min closed his mouth.

The reason Ha Se-min had been holding back so far was not because he was afraid of clashing with those called True Plum Blossoms.

“As I warned, this place is managed by Eunha. If you don’t leave immediately….”

It was to examine the traces of Lee Ro-woon.

To see what they were looking for and what they had found.

“If we don’t?”

-There is nothing.

The voices of the True Plum Blossoms and Amcheon, Ha Se-min’s direct unit, were heard.

Nothing.

It meant that there were no traces of Lee Ro-woon, nor any traces of them encountering Lee Ro-woon.

Then it also meant that they had just entered without knowing anything.

To achieve their purpose, to find something.

Then.

Crack!

“You must die.”

Ha Se-min, with a thunderous roar, shot his fist towards the True Plum Blossoms.

Wham!

The explosion caused by the thunder, and the dust it created.

In the midst of it, red eyes flickered.

“Little one.”

A blade that cut through the dust and air.

“You are presumptuous.”

The plum blossom sword that emerged from within rushed towards Ha Se-min’s throat.

* * *

“Kuh.”

Ha Se-min retreated, groaning.

The blade coming towards him, its movements were incredibly mysterious.

It was different from the martial artists he had faced so far and the Hwasan he knew.

Swoosh.

A beautiful sword dance, as if dancing.

But its sharpness was.

Whoosh!

It was sharper and more ferocious than any sword Ha Se-min had ever faced.

Scratches began to appear on Ha Se-min’s skin, which was protected by thunder.

But.

“Annoying.”

The enemies were not unscathed either.

The thunder that flowed through their sword and energy.

Fizz!

It was scorching their skin and scattering their inner energy.

In the meantime.

Clang! Clang!

Eunha and Hwasan were already clashing.

In the past, Hwasan was truly overwhelming.

Those who stood in the sky.

They were like immortals who stood above the clouds, looking down on everything and placing it beneath their feet.

Clang!

But it was different now.

Although Eunha was not being overwhelmed, they were on par.

This meant that Eunha had successfully climbed a high mountain.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

It also meant that they had dragged those who stood above the clouds down to this place.

“Little one.”

The sword tip and voice were conveyed at the same time.

“In the end, Hwasan will be victorious.”

The old monster in the form of a young child spoke as if soothing a child.

“So just submit.”

An even more ferocious blade.

Ironically, a fragrant plum blossom scent that was enough to make one’s mind dizzy was flowing from the tip of the blade.

Clench.

But that plum blossom scent was burned away.

The blade held in Ha Se-min’s hand trembled, unable to find a way to escape.

Drip.

Blood flowed down.

Ha Se-min’s palm was cut by the True Plum Blossom’s energy, and it was bleeding profusely.

But Ha Se-min smiled.

‘I can reach them.’

Even when he was called by the grandiose title of the King of the Black City.

Even when he became the successor of the Hao Clan and the Hao Clan Leader.

He had never thought that his fist would reach the masters of Hwasan.

That was why he hid in the darkness and lived in it.

But now.

“I reached them.”

His hand, his fist, had reached them.

They were not untouchable immortals above the clouds.

The fist that reached out.

The True Plum Blossom tried to pull out the sword, but Ha Se-min’s fist, which was clenched even tighter, never let go of the plum blossom sword.

Thud!

Ha Se-min’s shoulder was pierced by another True Plum Blossom’s sword, but even so, Ha Se-min did not stop.

He reached them.

And.

‘I will break them.’

With only that thought in mind.

Wham!

Ha Se-min slammed his fist into the True Plum Blossom’s stomach.

“Cough!”

The groan that came out was that of a young child, not an old monster.

They were not immortals.

Just enemies to be defeated.

“They’re like monsters from the gate.”

They were no different from the monsters that were stained with slaughter and madness in the gate.

Fizz!

Also, they were perhaps even worse than that.

The monsters of the gate were those who would do anything to live, to kill their opponents.

But these people were different.

They knew they had to let go of their swords, but they couldn’t let go of their petty martial artist pride.

Wham!

And that led to this result.

With his body exposed to the flying blades and the fierce plum blossom sword techniques, Ha Se-min slammed his fist down.

The True Plum Blossom, who had fallen, had their face burned and caved in by Ha Se-min’s thunder.

Wham!

He had exposed his back.

The stinging pain was no longer felt.

The price of reaching a place that could not be reached.

And.

Wham!

It was anger.

“Just….”

Just for being afraid of such things.

Just for being oppressed by such things and having to lose his disciples.

Just for the world being ravaged by such things.

All of that….

Crack!

Became anger and was contained in Ha Se-min’s fist.

“Cough!”

“This crazy bastard…!”

Ha Se-min’s fist slammed down once again.

Ha Se-min’s back was already soaked in blood and was horribly tattered.

But slowly, very slowly, Ha Se-min turned his head.

Flinch.

The True Plum Blossom, who was swinging his sword at Ha Se-min, involuntarily stepped back.

Ha Se-min’s eyes were swirling black.

Exploding all the emotions he had held back so far.

The Three Kings’ Disciple