Reaper of the Drifting Moon

Roar!

The fire dragon breathed out a fire to extinguish the poison spread in the air.

Everyone knew that fire is the opposite of poison. There were hardly a number of individuals who could actually use fire to burn poison alone.

Especially in a situation like this, where the poison was thickly dispersed in the air, it was almost impossible to burn only the poison without causing damage to the surrounding area.

But for Zhao Jakyung, it was not a difficult task.

The fire dragon absorbed the poison in the air without causing any damage elsewhere and dug its way down to the source, the well.

Kwaaa!

In the blink of an eye, the dragon purified the inside of the well and disappeared with a triumphant roar as if ascending to the sky.

It was an incredible sight to behold, difficult to believe even after witnessing it with one’s own eyes. However, Zhao Jakyung, the person who had accomplished this miraculous feat, paid no attention to his own achievements and walked towards Do Yeonsan.

“You thought you could get away with such actions without consequences? I won’t let you die like this. You must live and pay the price.”

At that moment, Zhao Yiguang spoke urgently,

“You mustn’t let that scoundrel live. He tried to kill me for no reason other than not liking me, and he didn’t care whether the people around him were harmed or not. If you let him live like this, he will become someone who will cause a big disturbance in Jianghu. You must immediately end his life right now and eliminate the aftermath.”

“Did he really commit such an act for no reason?”

“Yes, you can ask him yourself.”

Zhao Yiguang responded with confidence.

Knowing that Do Yeonsan was unable to speak because of his melted vocal cords, Zhao Yiguang became even more confident.

Zhao Jakyung frowned.

He found himself somehow irritated by Zhao Yiguang’s overly confident attitude. But, now was not the time to ponder over trivial matters.

Regardless of the circumstances, it didn’t change the fact that Do Yeonsan was still the main culprit behind this incident.

So for now, Zhao Jakyung had to subdue him and make him pay for his actions.

Zhao Jakyung approached Do Yeonsan and said,

“If you don’t surrender willingly, you will suffer.”

It was then.

With trembling hands, Do Yeonsan took something out of his bosom.

It was the cylinder that he used to fire the silver needles coated with Luminous Blood Poison.

He had prepared an extra in case of an emergency.

Do Yeonsan pointed the cylinder at Zhao Jakyung.

Seeing this, Zhao Jakyung became furious.

“This demon is unrepentant and intends on killing again!”

Before Do Yeonsan could fire the poison needles, Zhao Jakyung swung his spear.

Kwaaang!

Do Yeonsan, struck by the spear, was sent flying.

“Letting you live would only nurture a seed of harm in this world. It’ll be better for me to take your life with my own hands.”

Zhao Jakyung raised his spear high in the air and thrust it down towards Do Yeonsan with all his might.

Kwaaang!

With a loud bang, the well shattered, causing debris to scatter in all directions.

“Keuk!”

Zhao Yiguang grimaced as he watched from the sidelines. He got hit by the tremendous shockwave that burst out.

He wondered if it was really necessary to use such immense power to kill a brat like Do Yeonsan.

‘This old geezer doesn’t know how to control his strength.’

He grumbled, then when he raised his head,

“……”

His eyes widened in disbelief.

Do Yeonsan, whom he assumed to have died right now, was still alive, and the spear that his grandfather had thrust into his throat had been blocked by someone’s palm.

It was a giant figure wearing tattered clothes.

His face was covered by a half-shattered mask, and a faint barrier was visible in his hand.

The barrier, created with qi, prevented Zhao Jakyung’s spear from advancing any further.

The corners of Zhao Jakyung’s eyes twitched.

To martial masters who have reached the pinnacle like him, even a normal attack possesses unparalleled power. However, the masked being that suddenly appeared effortlessly blocked such attacks.

Ooong!

The shock from the spear strike still reverberated, causing Zhao Jakyung’s hand to tremble.

It was because of the visible qi barrier in the opponent’s hand.

Zhao Jakyung never imagined that there could be a master capable of exerting such power with just a qi barrier alone, without relying on a divine weapon or extraordinary skills.

Zhao Jakyung asked the masked being,

“Who are you? Why are you siding with that little wicked demon? Do you know how many people have died because of this child?”

“I… don’t… know.”

A hoarse voice flowed out from the masked person’s lips.

It was an unpleasant voice in which the pronunciation was completely muffled and could only be understood by paying close attention.

The moment Zhao Jakyung heard the masked person’s voice, he felt as if someone was scraping his flesh with a spoon, causing him to shudder.

Even though he was hailed as a strong martial artist in Jianghu, he never had experienced such a chilling sensation before.

“Reveal your identity. Otherwise, I might commit an offense against you.”

A tremendous aura emanated from Zhao Jakyung’s entire body.

He was Zhao Jakyung, also known as the Spear King.

The aura he exuded when he set his mind to it, was enough to overturn mountains. However, even when faced with such immense momentum, the masked being remained unfazed.

With vacant eyes, the masked being briefly gazed at Zhao Jakyung before shifting his gaze to Do Yeonsan.

Though Do Yeosan was still breathing, he was unconscious and battered.

“Hmnh!”

A bizarre sound came out of the monster’s mouth.

It was a strange sound that seemed to be a mixture of pity and anger.

Suddenly, the masked person bit down on his own forearm.

His flesh became torn apart, and fresh blood flowed out.

The masked being fed his own blood to Do Yeonsan. Then, Do Yeonsan’s wounds began to visibly heal.

Although Do Yeonsan’s melted skin and vocal cords hadn’t healed, his wounds started to close. Scabs were forming around the wounded area, preventing it from getting worse.

It didn’t take long for Do Yeonsan’s condition to noticeably improve.

At that moment, a name popped into Zhao Jakyung’s mind.

“The Ghost King.”

Jianghu’s most incomprehensible being.

The being who is said to be an immortal, wandering alone in Jianghu.

Even if Zhao Jakyung and the Ghost King were both categorized as one of the Eight Constellations, they never actually encountered each other before.

However, Zhao Jakyung instantly recognized the Ghost King because of the sinister aura he emanated and the profound healing properties in his blood after feeding it off to Do Yeonsan.

In Jianghu, there is a famous saying that those who desire immortality should seek out and capture the Ghost King.

Although it was unclear when and from whom this saying originated, it was now widely accepted as true. This was due to the unbelievable feats the Ghost King had demonstrated so far.

His ability to recover from any wound, no matter how severe, and resurrect like a phoenix was coveted by many.

They believed that if they could obtain the Ghost King’s powers, they, too, could live eternally without dying.

Indeed, many people had sought him out.

But not many had managed to keep their lives intact.

Zhao Jakyung’s expression became grave.

It was because of the pressure that came with the name Ghost King.

Zhao Jakyung had lived all this time not afraid of anything as long as he had his spear in his hands. However, he was unsure if his spear techniques would hold a candle against the Ghost King. Nonetheless, he could not back out now because of fear.

Do Yeonsan had committed a great sin, and he had to pay a just price for his transgression.

It was a matter of Zhao Jakyung’s conviction.

He had spent his life fighting against injustice, and it would be a betrayal of his convictions to leave someone as guilty as Do Yeonsan alone.

“I don’t know what your relationship is with that child, but hand him over to me. He has committed a great sin, and he must pay for it.”

“I refuse.”

“I respect you, but if you continue to insist like this, I will not stand idly by.”

“I will take the child. I won’t hand him over.”

“Ghost King!”

Zhao Jakyung raised his voice.

An explosive aura flowed out of his entire body. But even his aura couldn’t shake the Ghost King.

“If you won’t willingly give up the child, I will have to take him by force.”

Zhao Jakyung pointed his spear at the Ghost King.

Powerful energy burst out of his spear.

A glint appeared in the Ghost King’s empty eyes for a moment.

Zhao Jakyung thought his current situation was a good thing.

He had heard the name, Ghost King, numerous times, and even if the two of them were both considered as one of the Eight Constellations, they never fought against each other even once.

Zhao Jakyung had always been curious why the Ghost King was considered higher than him in rank.

Now he had a chance to find out, and Zhao Jakyung wouldn’t let that opportunity slip away.

Bang!

The two men’s qi collided, causing the air to explode.

“Heuk!”

Zhao Yiguang, who was nearby, jumped back in surprise.

His face was filled with confusion.

‘Damn it, why is this happening?’

If Zhao Jakyung had simply killed Do Yeonsan, he would no longer be troubled. However, with the sudden arrival of the Ghost King, things have become complicated.

Zhao Yigang couldn’t understand why the Ghost King was taking Do Yeonsan’s side.

The best outcome would be for Zhao Jakyung to subdue or kill the Ghost King. But if the opposite were to happen, things would get worse for him.

Fortunately for him, Do Yeonsan still have yet to come back to his senses.

‘I have to find a way to kill him somehow and shut his mouth.’

The problem was that Do Yeonsan was near the Ghost King.

In order to get to Do Yeonsan, he would have to get past the Ghost King.

Zhao Yiguang watched the Ghost King with bated breath.

“Cha-hat!”

At that moment, Zhao Jakyung’s attack began.

He imbued energy into his spear and aimed it towards the Ghost King’s throat.

Zzzeong!

The Ghost King skillfully defended Zhao Jakyung’s attack, then he immediately switched to an offensive stance.

Kwakwakjong!

As the Ghost King and Zhao Jakyung clashed, the area vibrated as if an earthquake had struck.

The Ghost King’s martial arts were unlike anything Zhao Yiguang had ever seen before.

He moved instinctively without being bound by any particular style.

However, his speed and destructive power nonetheless surpassed common sense.

His whole body flew through the air like a meteor and crashed into Zhao Jakyung.

Zhao Jakyung fought back with the full force of the Fire Dragon: Demon-Sealing Spear Technique.1

The impact of their bodies and spears colliding produced a deafening sound.

Their duel was beyond the limits of human capabilities.

Under the impact of their clash, the structures around the square collapsed like sandcastles.

“Ugh!”

“H, Help me!”

Those who survived the poison screamed and fled.

The previously tranquil downtown square of Lake Tai instantly turned into a field of death.

Kwakwakjong!

It was as if the angels of heaven and the demons of hell were locked in a fierce battle of strength.

The confrontation between Zhao Jakyung and the Ghost King rapidly reached its climax.

Clang!

A storm swept through the area as the clash of extraordinary warriors exceeded human limits.

Zhao Jakyung exerted all his strength in unleashing his Fire Dragon: Demon-Sealing Spear Technique.

The Fire Dragon: Demon-Sealing Spear Technique was intense like flames. With every thrust of his spear, an afterimage of a fire dragon appeared.

The fire dragon seemed ready to devour the Ghost King with its jaws wide open, but with a simple move from the Ghost King, the dragon instantly crumbled.

Kwang!

The Ghost King threw his entire body towards Zhao Jakyung.

Surrounding his body was a clear defensive barrier.

Zhao Jakyung quickly realized the nature of the barrier.

‘He’s using a qi barrier offensively?’

The clear barrier that swirled around the Ghost King’s body was a qi barrier.

No matter how skilled a master may be, maintaining a defense qi barrier required intense concentration. Moving one’s body while maintaining it required even more concentration.

It was not easy to maintain a qi barrier in a life-or-death situation. That’s why even skilled individuals who could unleash a qi barrier did not dare to use it offensively.

But the Ghost King was using it as an offensive tool as if mocking everyone’s common knowledge.

He truly surpassed imagination with his unmatched skills.

“Heup!”

Cracks began to form on Zhao Jakyung’s face.

Blood was trickling down from the corners of his mouth.

Not only that, but he also had substantial wounds all over his body.

Zhao Jakyung did not slack off either, since he also inflicted countless wounds on the Ghost King’s body. The problem was that such wounds were instantly healed, leaving only faint traces.

Witnessing wounds that healed in an instant was nothing short of astonishing.

Despite dealing each other the same amount of damage, Zhao Jakyung found himself at an absolute disadvantage.

Crash!

“Keugh!”

In the end, Zhao Jakyung was forced to allow the Ghost King to deliver a decisive blow.

His body was sent flying across the ground like a ragdoll because of the impact.

Had it not been for the last moment where he reduced the impact with his spear, he would have suffered a fatal injury from the Ghost King’s strike.

“Geugh!”

When Zhao Jakyung was about to grab his spear and pulled himself up,

Whoosh!

Something gigantic emerged from Lake Tai, and made its way to the plaza, before slithering towards the Ghost King.

It was an unbelievably huge snake.

The figure riding on top of the snake shouted,

“Ghost King!”

SoundlessWind21’s notes:

Thank you for reading!

Fire Dragon: Demon-Sealing Spear Technique. Raws: 화룡제마창법(火龍制魔槍法). 火龙 huǒlóng – fiery dragon 制 zhì – system / to control / to regulate 魔 mó – devil / magic 槍 qiāng – spear, lance; gun, rifle 法 fǎ – law, rule, regulation, statute;