Martial Arts Ain't Anything Special
Chapter 134: Eight Cold Hells (1)

Chapter 134: Eight Cold Hells (1)

0% As night fell, Seojun quietly slipped out of the alley.

With each step, his figure grew increasingly indistinct.

One step and he became hazy like fog, another step and he dissolved into darkness, and with a final step, he vanished without a trace.

It was the Shadow Concealment Technique he’d been practicing occasionally.

Inspired by Yehwa’s technique from the Hidden Sword in Darkness, it used his inner power to blend with the surrounding environment.

This way, he escaped visual detection, scent, and qi sense, while erasing traces like footsteps by mimicking the Blood Crow Sect assassins he’d observed so many times.

He named it Shadowless Under the Moon.

Seojun leaped effortlessly over the Blood Crow Sect’s main gate, leaving no shadow behind.

Guards stood watch, but they sensed nothing amiss. They continued their surveillance with their usual complacency.

Seojun passed them and walked leisurely through the Blood Crow Sect’s interior before suddenly furrowing his brow.

A faint smell of blood permeated the air—embedded in the very building.

Clicking his tongue softly, Seojun extended his qi sense.

Subtle waves of energy swept through the Blood Crow Sect, painting a mental picture.

The only one he needed to worry about was the Blood Crow Sect Leader.

Searching for an aura at the Transcendent Realm level, he sensed one near the central building.

“Hmm?”

And another.

Near the outskirts, opposite the main gate, another Transcendent-level presence could be felt.

Wasn’t the Sect Leader supposed to be the only Transcendent?

An unexpected situation.

Seojun halted in place.

Just then, three martial artists appeared.

They passed by Seojun with slow steps, apparently patrolling in a three-man formation.

Seojun immediately followed them.

The martial artists, unaware that someone was right behind them, continued their patrol without suspicion.

As he gauged the right moment, Seojun spotted a secluded corner ahead. No other human presence could be sensed.

He moved ahead to check beyond the corner—the conditions were good.

Seojun waited for the martial artists there.

The seemingly well-disciplined martial artists approached without a word and turned the corner.

At that moment, Seojun struck quickly.

His left hand, with index and middle fingers extended and wrapped in sword energy, sliced the throats of two men, while his right hand spread wide to grip the face of the third.

“Hah...!”

The man’s eyes bulged as his face was seized.

The other two had become corpses, their throats cut.

Without hesitation, Seojun deployed the Soul Absorption Art.

“Kuhp...!”

He spread a qi veil to muffle any sound, disrupted the man’s primordial qi, and poured in demonic energy.

Soon, the man’s eyes grew vacant, and his body went limp.

Seojun questioned him.

“There are two Transcendent masters here. Who are they?”

“Sect... Leader...”

“And?”

“Rak... sha... sa... Sword...”

Rakshasa Sword?

After a few more questions, he learned that “Rakshasa Sword” was a title.

He discovered that this person was an external master invited by the Blood Crow Sect Leader, but then the man bled from every orifice and expired before revealing more.

This isn’t a great method for interrogation.

Not only was it hard to get lengthy answers, but the subject’s survival time was too short.

Seojun clicked his tongue and gathered the bodies.

He drained whatever true qi remained with the Soul Absorption Art, then used it to generate reinforced qi and burn away all traces.

Blood Crow Sect Leader and Rakshasa Sword.

Could he handle them both simultaneously?

Impossible to know without seeing them directly. Based on their auras, both seemed to be between early and mid-Transcendent Realm, but aura alone couldn’t determine fighting power.

Also, he couldn’t forget that this was Black Serpent territory. Prolonged commotion would be problematic.

Retreat or proceed?

After deliberation, he made his decision.

Eliminating one first should make this manageable.

With that decision, he stomped the ground.

After landing on a rooftop, he leaped again. After several repetitions, he walked straight up the wall of a particularly tall building to carefully examine the presences inside.

Found him.

Walking around the wall, he cut through it with reinforced qi where no one was present.

After entering the building and carefully replacing the wall section, his infiltration was complete.

He then returned to where he sensed the Blood Crow Sect Leader’s presence and quietly waited for an opportunity.

Watching the Sect Leader converse with his subordinates, Seojun saw them receive orders and depart.

As the Blood Crow Sect Leader began walking, Seojun followed behind and placed his hand on the sword at his waist.

He carefully manipulated his inner power, coating the blade inside its sheath with Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Reinforced Qi.

His target was the neck.

After slowly inhaling and holding his breath, he gripped the sword handle tightly.

Then drew his blade.

“Hah...!”

With surprising reflexes, the Blood Crow Sect Leader coated his hand with water-element reinforced qi and swung to counter.

A misjudgment. He should have dodged.

Schick-

The Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Reinforced Qi sliced through the Sect Leader’s hand. The upper part was severed, leaving only the thumb. Blood erupted from the wound.

“You...!”

His face contorted with pain and shock.

Seojun dispersed the Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Reinforced Qi and generated sword energy with Ice White Divine Power.

“Heaven-reaching True Qi! How are you here!”

Would he believe if I told him I flew here?

Seojun simply smirked and pointed his sword.

“Good reflexes to block that.”

“AAAH...!”

The Blood Crow Sect Leader leaped urgently.

Not toward Seojun, but toward the wall.

CRASH-!

Breaking through the wall to escape outside, he pulled a long pipe from his robe.

As he fell to the ground, he placed the pipe in his mouth, inhaled smoke, and exhaled.

PUWACK-!

Red smoke exploded from his mouth and nose.

Seojun, who had pursued him, was enveloped in the smoke.

Poison?

With protective reinforced qi surrounding him, he couldn’t be sure.

Ignoring it, Seojun swung his sword forcefully.

CRACK-!

Space froze along the blade’s trajectory.

The Blood Crow Sect Leader quickly swung his hand to deflect the sword strike, then flipped to land on the ground.

Shaking off his slightly frozen hand, he gritted his teeth.

“Ice White Divine Power...?”

How could Heaven-reaching True Qi possess the Ice White Divine Power?

No, the premise was wrong. This man wasn’t Heaven-reaching True Qi.

“Why would the Black Serpent...! No, is this your own initiative? No, that can’t be... the Ice Palace’s will? I can’t understand. What do you want!”

Is he an idiot? Seojun contemplated before answering.

“Die for the greater good.”

“Greater good? Speak clearly...!”

He had just said any nonsense that came to mind.

Seojun placed his hand on the ground.

Ice Realm.

CRAAACK──────────!!!

Everything around his hand froze.

The world turned white.

This was a technique used by an Ice Palace martial artist during the Green Forest suppression.

Recognizing the Ice Realm, the Blood Crow Sect Leader grew furious.

“You...! You’ll regret this...!”

Blood Crow Sect disciples gathered.

Seojun smirked and unfolded a connected technique.

Ice Crystal.

A snow-white crystal formation rose above Seojun’s hand. Then, sorcery.

Five Elements, Water, Expansion.

As martial arts and sorcery combined, he pioneered a new realm.

Seojun clenched his fist.

CRACK-!

The crystal in his grasp shattered.

WOOOSH-!

Simultaneously, an absurd amount of cold yin qi surged forth, painting the world pure white.

Blood Crow Sect disciples who had approached too closely froze to death instantly, while those at a distance screamed as their bodies gradually hardened.

One hundred and eight ice pillars grew from the frozen ground.

Seojun impassively surveyed the white world around him.

The Blood Crow Sect Leader exhaled white breath and his eyes flashed.

“You’re infected...!”

Not understanding, Seojun frowned.

A trickle of fresh blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

“It’s the Million Souls Blood Dye! Once infected, you won’t easily expel the poison.”

Infected? When?

Poison couldn’t penetrate protective reinforced qi.

Protective reinforced qi wasn’t simply armor. The reinforced qi surrounding the entire body filtered everything from outside.

Not just poison, but heat, cold, light, stench—it blocked everything the user hadn’t permitted.

That’s why breathing underwater was possible when surrounded by protective reinforced qi.

Water was filtered, allowing only air to pass through.

There was no point in questioning how this was possible.

Aspects related to mental imagery had always been this way.

Martial arts accomplished what seemed impossible by common sense.

But the fact that his protective reinforced qi’s defense had been breached was also true.

“Cough...!”

As Seojun coughed blood, the Blood Crow Sect Leader smiled slightly.

“Now our positions have reversed.”

Blood Crow Sect disciples surrounded him.

There was no escape route.

Moreover, the Rakshasa Sword had noticed the disturbance and arrived quickly.

Looking at the white frozen landscape, he asked the Blood Crow Sect Leader:

“What happened?”

“What do you think? An intruder.”

“Should I step in?”

“No need to trouble yourself. It’s already over.”

The Blood Crow Sect Leader pointed at Seojun, who had lowered his head.

“First, let’s capture him and find out the details of this incident.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

The Rakshasa Sword strode to stand before Seojun.

“I assume you don’t need his limbs?”

“Do as you wish.”

“Very well.”

The Rakshasa Sword drew his blade. Seojun raised his head.

Red-stained eyes. Black blood vessels bulged across his skin.

The Blood Crow Sect Leader, watching from behind, frowned.

The Million Souls Blood Dye doesn’t have these symptoms.

At that moment, Seojun formed a hand seal.

Hundred-Eight Ice Demon Pillar Formation.

WOOOONG──────────

The 108 ice pillars surrounding them turned pitch black and pressed down on the area.

“Huh...!”

The Rakshasa Sword froze in his sword-drawing stance. An impossible weight crushed his body.

That wasn’t all—cold spread from deep within him.

Even the Rakshasa Sword, a Transcendent Realm master, couldn’t properly control his rapidly stiffening body.

Barely keeping his knees from buckling, he glared at Seojun with bloodshot eyes.

“What are... you doing...!”

“Ptui...!”

Seojun spat out black-stained saliva.

HISS-!

The concentrated poison melted the white frozen ground.

“I didn’t know protective reinforced qi had such a weakness.”

Lack of experience.

Seojun clicked his tongue and immediately stretched out his hand.

The Rakshasa Sword managed to move his stiff body to block, but he had already given Seojun too much time.

CRASH-!

A hand imbued with Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Reinforced Qi penetrated through the Rakshasa Sword’s blade and into his abdomen.

“H-how...”

“Shh.”

Seojun activated the Soul Absorption Art, draining all the man’s true qi.

He dispersed the primordial qi and absorbed the acquired true qi to replenish his injured body.

“Whew...”

Indeed, the quality of true qi from a Transcendent Realm master was different. His body felt refreshed.

Seojun tossed aside the withered corpse of the Rakshasa Sword.

“First... let’s clean up.”

CRACK-

Seojun’s mouth opened wide. His jaw seemed dislocated as a golden sphere emerged from his grotesquely wide mouth.

The Blood Crow Sect Leader’s eyes trembled at this bizarre sight.

Seojun synchronized the inner core extracted through his mouth with the 108 ice pillars.

In an unimaginably high place.

He reached for fragments of a realm beyond.

The pillars and inner core resonated, dyeing the entire area in a single realm.

Pseudo-Realm: Eight Cold Hells.

CRAAACK──────────

The cold of hell descended upon the mortal world.

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!