With the reverse sword, he cleaved heaven and earth.

I shall open my own road.

It was enough to push back even the force of Seok Cheonwoong that had covered the entire Sect Master Hall.

Boundless beneath heaven and earth, I walk alone.

I ask not of righteousness or evil, but only of my own heart.

On this solitary road, where does it lead?

With the reverse sword, I will cut open the road of heaven and earth.

Reverse Heaven Vast Expanse Sword.

Fifth Verse, Solitary Road.

Unhwi swung his sword.

Slowly.

But with absolute certainty.

Light burst forth from the sword.

It was not a straight line.

It wound and curved.

Like a road.

Like a lonely road walked alone.

And yet that road cut through everything.

The blood tiger descending from the sky vanished.

It had been severed.

The sword flew toward Seok Cheonwoong.

Seok Cheonwoong raised his blade to block it.

“Ah—!”

Clang—!

The Heavenly Suppression Blade was knocked flying.

Unhwi’s sword brushed across Seok Cheonwoong’s neck with terrifying naturalness.

Slice—!

Seok Cheonwoong’s head flew into the air.

His body dropped to its knees where it stood.

The head hit the ground and rolled away.

Unhwi lowered his sword.

The white radiance covering his body faded.

“Cough...”

Dropping to one knee, he spat out blood.

His entire body throbbed with pain.

Even so, a faint smile had formed at the corner of Unhwi’s lips.

The true chapter of the Primordial Innate Heart Method.

He had gained a small measure of enlightenment regarding that cultivation art, which he had not yet fully awakened to.

He could not help but smile.

Martial arts were mysterious things.

Just when one thought one understood everything, something else appeared.

There were things one could not see when close, only when far away.

And yet there were also things one could not see when far away, only when standing close.

“Haa... haa...”

Breathing harshly, Unhwi organized that enlightenment in his mind.

And then.

Someone approached him.

No sword was swung.

Because it was Chief Seong.

“Young Master...”

“I told you not to come. Why did you?”

“...Why did I come? Seriously, how was I supposed not to?”

That was true enough.

The martial artists of the Path of Tyranny Sect were surrounding the shattered Sect Master Hall.

There were also others approaching beside Chief Seong.

Wonyang and Seol Yeonhwa.

And even Gongsun Myeongwol of the Gongsun Family, whom he had seen once before.

Unhwi looked at Chief Seong and asked with his eyes why that woman was here.

“She said she wanted to help.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Unhwi had just let out a faint laugh when Gongsun Myeongwol stepped forward.

“I, Gongsun Myeongwol, young mistress of the Gongsun Family, greet Young Master Seol of the Mysterious Snow Palace.”

Unhwi gave a nod, and Gongsun Myeongwol continued.

“I do not think opportunities to place a debt upon a great figure of Murim come often.”

“Do I look like I need help?”

“...From outward appearances, you definitely do seem to need it. But you are someone who has done so many absurd things that I cannot be certain. Even so.”

“You still want to help?”

“Yes.”

“Because you want to place me in your debt.”

“Yes.”

“You are bold.”

Gongsun Myeongwol truly was bold.

“The Path of Tyranny Sect is certainly a sect with many problems.”

“Is that so.”

“We had received reports several times on the Gongsun Family’s side. They are excessively lustful, and in that process they do not hesitate to use force. They even worked with the authorities to abduct women from nearby villages and use them as slaves.”

Since this was something Unhwi and Chief Seong already knew, they merely took it in stride, but Wonyang and Seol Yeonhwa were not the same.

It was the first time they had heard of it, and they were deeply shocked.

Gongsun Myeongwol drew her sword and turned around.

“You intend to exterminate the Path of Tyranny Sect today, do you not?”

“That is my intention.”

“I will help. The picture of only the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace stepping forward is one thing, but the picture of the Gongsun Family, one of the Five Great Families, stepping forward as well will be better.”

Unhwi thought to himself.

That was not bad.

“Then let it be so.”

“Good.”

It was then.

Seol Yeonhwa stepped forward and handed Unhwi an Ice Crystal.

A full fifty-year Ice Crystal at that.

“You do not need to give me this, Elder Sister.”

“...Take it.”

“...”

“Youngest.”

At the resolute look on Seol Yeonhwa’s face, Unhwi nodded, accepted the Ice Crystal, and immediately placed it in his mouth.

Crunch, crunch.

This was not how one was meant to consume it, but circumstances were what they were.

It was then.

With a thud, someone landed between Unhwi and Gongsun Myeongwol. His face was covered by a mask, and on his head was a black gat of unknown origin.

It was Wang Muha, the Swift Blade Chivalrous Hero.

“You did not leave, Senior Wang.”

“I have no idea what you mean. This humble one is not surnamed Wang, but Gu Wangmo.”

Wang Muha said it with a grin.

“This humble one has long admired Lord Seol, and so wishes to lend aid on this occasion.”

Unhwi let out a dry laugh.

“Even if you hide your name and conceal your appearance, no one will fail to recognize you.”

“...Ahem.”

“I will accept your help, Senior Wang.”

Scratching at his chin, Wang Muha removed the gat and mask.

Unhwi then pulled out every last one of the Triple Divine Pills he had in his robe and tossed them into his mouth.

The medicinal effects spread at once, stimulating the Ice Crystal’s power, and his strength began to recover.

He gripped the Trueflame Heavenly-Spirit Sword tightly.

He looked straight ahead.

The number of martial artists in the Path of Tyranny Sect was considerable. Hundreds of them.

Ten at the Four Realms of Heaven and Earth level.

Among them, three at the Heaven and Man realm.

There were more than two hundred at the Four Realms of Energy Refinement and the Three Divine Realms.

He spoke quietly.

“I will say this only once. Listen well.”

Silence.

“Today, Zhuge Yeonghyeon of the Murim Alliance devised a scheme to kill me and my elder sister.”

“...”

“The young sect master of the Path of Tyranny Sect lent his hand to that plan, so I killed Zhuge Yeonghyeon, and I also killed Seok Cheonhan.”

Breathing could be heard from every direction.

“In the Central Plains, the most important thing for a martial artist is debts and grudges.”

Unhwi’s voice sank coldly.

“From the moment Seok Cheonhan took part in that scheme, the Path of Tyranny Sect became an enemy of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace. And from the moment I killed Seok Cheonhan, that became reality.”

“...”

“Sect Master Seok Cheonwoong refused to admit his guilt and tried to kill me.”

Unhwi raised his sword.

“What more needs to be said.”

The faces of the Path of Tyranny Sect martial artists hardened.

Unhwi spoke slowly, each word distinct.

“Today, I will burn this Path of Tyranny Sect to the ground.”

“...”

“So choose. Will you die together with the Path of Tyranny Sect, or will you continue living?”

In the silence, Unhwi added,

“I will not pursue those who flee.”

Unhwi waited, but not a single martial artist of the Path of Tyranny Sect fled.

All of them drew their swords.

Drew their blades.

Leveled their spears.

The atmosphere sank.

He spoke briefly.

“Kill them all.”

Wonyang and Seol Yeonhwa drew their swords.

Gongsun Myeongwol swung her blade, and Wang Muha kicked off the ground barehanded.

In a situation like this, the one who should have moved faster than anyone else, Chief Seong, remained strangely rooted in place.

He asked Unhwi,

“...The Tyrant Blade Sovereign may target you.”

Tyrant Blade Sovereign, Seok Junseo.

Perhaps it had been unrealistic from the start for the head of one of the Five Great Families to be no more than a master of Unity of Heaven and Man.

But until now, that had somehow been possible.

Because of the one mentioned earlier, Seok Junseo.

A master of the Dao Flower realm.

Until just three years ago, he had been the sect master of the Path of Tyranny Sect, before handing the position over to his son, Seok Cheonwoong, and becoming the Supreme Sect Master.

Then, about a year ago, he had entered secluded cultivation, and he remained in seclusion even now.

His existence upheld the Path of Tyranny Sect.

His realm preserved the sect’s prestige.

“If the Path of Tyranny Sect is exterminated today, then surely—”

Unhwi shook his head.

“Chief Seong.”

“...Yes.”

“You worry too much.”

“Does it not look bad?”

“Do not worry.”

“...”

“Even if Seok Junseo breaks seclusion and emerges, dealing with that will be my responsibility.”

“...You have a method, then?”

“There is one.”

“What is it?”

Realistically speaking, no matter how extraordinary Unhwi was right now, he was not yet at the point where he could stake life and death against a master of the Dao Flower realm.

Above the Three Profound Realms.

At the very least, he would need to reach the level of Martial Extremity Manifestation before he could create even a single chance to put a blade to that man’s throat. In the end, what he needed was time.

Unhwi said,

“So long as word of what happened does not reach his ears alone, that will be enough.”

Chief Seong seemed to think for a moment, then his eyes widened.

Good heavens.

“...I know now what I must do.”

“Will you help me?”

“Of course.”

Chief ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) Seong scratched his head and let out a sigh.

“And today, restrain yourself as much as possible. I will clean up the Heaven and Man realm fighters as quickly as I can.”

With those words, Chief Seong kicked off the ground.

That speed was on an entirely different level from anything he had shown until now.

In an instant.

The head of a Heaven and Man realm martial artist from the Path of Tyranny Sect flew into the air.

Then Unhwi also kicked off the ground.

Kwaaaang—!

Heavenly Soaring Dragon Glide Step.

In an instant, he plunged into the midst of the Path of Tyranny Sect martial artists.

He swung the Trueflame Heavenly-Spirit Sword.

Slice—!

Two heads flew off.

He swung again.

Slash—!

Three arms fell.

Blood poured forth.

Screams erupted. Unhwi did not stop.

He swung his sword, then swung it again.

He was so exhausted he could have collapsed, but he did not stop.

For a martial artist to walk his own path meant proving it at every moment.

He swung, and swung again.

On that day.

The Path of Tyranny Sect was exterminated.