The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

The Flowering Realm.

The entrance towards divinity. The supreme realm that all martial artists dream of but not just anyone can reach.

Reaching the Flowering Realm had more meaning than simply becoming stronger.

Going through bone marrow cleansing, the skeletal structure changes to make using martial arts easier. The inner power accumulated in the body also becomes purer. The dantian, which holds inner power, also expands.

One could live longer beyond human lifespan, and if one went through rejuvenation, youth could be regained once more.

But not just anyone could reach there. Even searching through martial arts history, less than 100 people had opened the gate to the Flowering Realm.

In thousands of years of history, not even 100 absolute masters. The moment one stood at the entrance of that path, the world changed.

“Just because you’ve reached the Flowering Realm doesn’t mean you can utilize all your potential right away. So, rest.”

I turned my gaze to Hyuk Muhyeol. He smiled lightly then wiped his mouth.

His condition, which wasn’t visible until just now, came into view more clearly. The reason he kept wiping his mouth. It was to hide the blood.

“Cult Leader, there’s blood on your mouth…!”

Hyuk Muhyeol lowered his hand stained red and smiled slightly, then shook his head.

Hyuk Muhyeol took his gaze off me and approached the madman. The madman, who had been glaring at Hyuk Muhyeol while kneeling, stood up once more and rushed in.

Hyuk Muhyeol leisurely avoided his attack then kicked his side.

“Hyuk Mu… hyeol!!”

The madman straightened his body that had been shaken by his attack. It was an impossible physical ability that could only be done by a master who had reached the extreme.

The madman attacked, baring his teeth. Hyuk Muhyeol deflected his sword, kicked him away again, and this time he rushed in himself.

Hyuk Muhyeol’s attacks were tyrannical swift sword techniques. The madman couldn’t defend against all those attacks. Ignoring his flesh being cut, he only blocked vital points while meeting Hyuk Muhyeol’s attacks. Hyuk Muhyeol, who had been overwhelmingly pressuring the madman at first, seemed to gradually tire as time passed.

Moreover, it looked like he was biting his lip tightly to hold back the blood he was about to cough up. His weak appearance, which had never been seen before, was nakedly revealed.

The madman rushing in without regard for his own body was doubly difficult to deal with. If one rushed in with the determination to die together, it would be difficult no matter how great the difference in skill. And a Flowering Realm master who had reached the extreme was carrying out that determination to die together.

It would be dangerous if more time passed. Hyuk Muhyeol’s body condition didn’t look very good. Coughing up blood from using martial arts wasn’t a very common phenomenon. In other words, Hyuk Muhyeol was overdoing it.

I got up from my seat, gripping the sword that had fallen to the ground. I had to help. I didn’t know how much help I could be, but if time passed in this state, eventually Hyuk Muhyeol would collapse first. So I had to step forward and be of help to him.

I drew up the inner power that was filling up again and circulated true qi. My body felt lighter and more comfortable than before. There was still some fatigue remaining here and there, but not enough to be a big problem.

After checking my body condition, I slowly took a stance and was about to rush in when energy explosively erupted from Hyuk Muhyeol and his hand pierced through the madman’s stomach.

“Kuh…!”

Even the madman, who had been rushing in without regard for his body, stopped, bending over, as if that attack was fatal. He grabbed Hyuk Muhyeol’s arm that had pierced his stomach and raised his head with difficulty.

Hyuk Muhyeol looked down at the madman while breathing roughly, then withdrew his hand. When his arm came out of the madman’s stomach, he collapsed to the ground without strength to support his body.

Hyuk Muhyeol quietly looked down at the madman collapsed on the ground looking up at him, then raised his sword. And he quietly stabbed it into the madman’s head.

It was quiet. When the madman’s screams disappeared, the surroundings fell into silence.

Hyuk Muhyeol glared at the madman while catching his breath, then slowly raised his sword. The madman’s blood thickly coated the Black Crow’s blade and flowed down.

Hyuk Muhyeol remained frozen for a while in the posture of looking down at the madman, then let out a long breath and turned to look at me.

“It’s over.”

He walked over casually. His skill of piercing through the madman’s stomach in one go, in a situation where he couldn’t deal with the madman just now, was truly monstrous.

The supreme being of the Demon Cult and the worship of all power. Hyuk Muhyeol approached me and slowly collapsed.

“Cult Leader!”

I hurriedly caught him as he collapsed. He smiled painfully while entrusting his body to me.

“…I’m sorry. I should be supporting you, yet I’m receiving support from my daughter-in-law. I’m ashamed…”

“How on earth…”

While supporting his body, I pushed in the energy of the spirit herb that hadn’t been assimilated into his meridians.

At that moment, I could somewhat grasp Hyuk Muhyeol’s body condition that I couldn’t confirm with my eyes. When I opened my eyes wide, Hyuk Muhyeol let out a faint smile.

His meridians were tangled to an unbelievable extent for someone who had just displayed such tremendous martial arts.

To become a master, regardless of righteous or evil, one had to open the blood vessels. Only then could the circulation of inner power be complete and perfect.

But Hyuk Muhyeol’s conception vessel was twisted, and other blood vessels were tangled too. Even the energy I sent in couldn’t find its place and scattered midway, blocked, to the extent that the blood vessels had lost their function long ago.

He showed such unbelievable martial prowess with this body? It felt amazing while also being dumbfounding.

I could understand why the Murim Alliance Leader was wary of Hyuk Muhyeol. If he was this strong in his current state, what would he have been like in perfect condition? I couldn’t even dare to imagine his martial prowess.

“It’s alright… It’s fine.”

“You don’t look fine at all. How on earth…”

Hyuk Muhyeol silently shook his head. He tightly closed his mouth as if telling me not to ask further.

Meanwhile, Moyong Do approached and received Hyuk Muhyeol from me, lifting him up. Hyuk Muhyeol seemed to feel a bit more comfortable as Moyong Do, who was of similar height, supported him, and he spoke lightly with a smile.

“To think the day would come when I’d receive help from a successor of the righteous sects.”

“I never imagined the day would come when I’d support the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Leader either. But you’re my benefactor and also Sowol’s family, so aren’t you family to me too? So, lean on me comfortably.”

“Haha… You’re different from those other stuffy righteous sect fellows. You resemble my daughter-in-law.”

Hyuk Muhyeol chuckled and raised his head. His gaze was directed towards where Hyuk Dojin had disappeared.

“Let’s go. There’s still more…”

Hyuk Muhyeol’s legs moved first.

* * *

Man Do, who had been pondering ways to break through and escape, changed his plans due to the sudden joining of Demon Cult martial artists and the familiar and chilling energy felt from behind.

Even if they ran away, they wouldn’t be able to go far if a pursuit team followed. So, joining forces with the Demon Cult martial artists here to finish off Geum Hyul.

Man Do took the lead and swung his sword. Geum Hyul and the Yeonwi Left Army seemed flustered by the sudden reinforcement of enemies, but the situation didn’t change much.

The Murim Alliance warriors still far outnumbered them. Even if Demon Cult martial artists had joined, they weren’t on the level of the Blood Flow Thousand Wolves Corps members. So, only the numbers had increased, but it didn’t make any difference.

But the problem was the owner of that chilling demonic energy felt from far away. The problem was that someone emitting tyrannical energy incomparable to the Vice Cult Leader in front was fighting the madman.

Although he hadn’t seen who this person emitting such unbelievable energy was, he could still tell.

That the only one in this world who could emit this level of energy was the Cult Leader, Hyuk Muhyeol.

“Yoo Doha! You stay by the Young Cult Leader’s side. A doctor is treating the Young Cult Leader, so don’t let anyone interfere!”

“Understood.”

Fortunately, among the people who joined from the Demon Cult, a doctor was mixed in. Probably they came to treat Moyong Sowol. Thanks to that, they could treat Hyuk Dojin who was in a dangerous situation.

Man Do had to buy time until the Cult Leader joined this side. It was difficult, but not impossible. Man Do stepped to the front and engaged in battle with Geum Hyul and the Yeonwi Left Army. The rest of the martial artists also joined in to help.

They were at a disadvantage due to fewer numbers, but they weren’t fighting to win anyway. It was enough just to block the path. They repelled those trying to break through and bought time. That was enough.

“Damn it! I’ll cut off the Young Cult Leader’s life myself!!”

As time passed, the possibility that the Cult Leader might join made Geum Hyul anxious.

In the end, Geum Hyul, who had been holding back, exploded and set the Yeonwi Left Army on Man Do before rushing towards Hyuk Dojin himself. Man Do tried to block him, but he was blocked by the Yeonwi Left Army and couldn’t chase after him.

“Stop that guy! Block him with your bodies if you have to, don’t let him approach the Young Cult Leader!!”

At Man Do’s stern order, the Demon Cult martial artists blocked Geum Hyul. But it was too much for them to stop a Flowering Realm master rushing in with the determination to fight to the death.

In the end, the defense line was broken through and Geum Hyul, who had reached Yoo Doha, immediately drew his sword.

Yoo Doha blocked him, but no matter how skilled Yoo Doha was, it was impossible to stop Geum Hyul rushing in fiercely. After just crossing swords about ten times, Yoo Doha felt fatigue as if he had fought for a full hour.

It was because he had to draw up excessive inner power to withstand Geum Hyul’s heavy sword.

Geum Hyul rushed in again towards him who was pouring with sweat.

Yoo Doha gritted his teeth and raised his sword to block Geum Hyul with the determination to die.

“Die, you trash!!”

Geum Hyul’s tremendous inner power poured down towards Yoo Doha. Yoo Doha knew it wasn’t an attack he could block, but he still raised his sword. If he retreated, Hyuk Dojin would die. So he forcibly blocked it.

Geum Hyul’s sword flashed above Yoo Doha’s head. At the moment Yoo Doha clenched his teeth sensing his end, a breeze seemed to blow and white threads fluttered.

“Falling Plum Blossoms.”

Along with a quiet voice, sword energy fragments burst like cherry blossom petals and blocked in front of him.

Geum Hyul shook off the razor-sharp cherry blossom petals and gave up his attack, stepping back.

“Kuh…!”

Geum Hyul gritted his teeth and rubbed his shoulder. He had twisted his shoulder from forcibly moving to escape the cherry blossom sword energy.

Geum Hyul pulled his twisted shoulder to realign the dislocated bone. A terrible cracking sound rang out. But Geum Hyul didn’t let out even a groan at the terrible pain, and rather looked at the person who had interfered with eyes containing that much killing intent.

“…Moyong Sowol.”

A white-haired woman who had lowered her sword diagonally was glaring at Geum Hyul with anger.

Geum Hyul frowned.

“Weren’t you killed by the madman?”

“…”

There was no answer from Moyong Sowol to his question. All that could be glimpsed from her was a faint anger.

Geum Hyul frowned. Did he avoid out of fear of such a mere young girl? Geum Hyul’s pride was hurt by the fact that he had been injured by a mere youngster who had learned swordsmanship for just a few years at best.

Due to the prolonged battle, fatigue, and anger, he didn’t even notice that Moyong Sowol was emitting a different energy from her usual appearance.

Moyong Sowol quietly looked at Geum Hyul. His sword was stained with blood. That blood was blood stained from stabbing people who had tried to protect her, and at the same time blood stained from attacking Hyuk Dojin. Moyong Sowol could not forgive that.

“The madman is dead.”

Dead? Geum Hyul narrowed his brows. Then does that mean the Cult Leader won indeed?

Geum Hyul felt chills down his spine at the fact that the Cult Leader had taken down the monster that hadn’t budged even when he and Hyuk Dojin attacked together. Then he was next.

The Cult Leader was not someone he could face. To face him, someone like Namgoong Baek would have to come. Then should he retreat? After coming all this way…!

His eyes caught sight of Hyuk Dojin who hadn’t regained consciousness yet. One sword strike would be enough.

If he could just stab Hyuk Dojin one more time past that girl, all this sacrifice would become worthwhile.

Geum Hyul glared at Moyong Sowol while biting his lip. Moyong Sowol drew up her inner power with a sneer at Geum Hyul’s gaze, who had finally made up his mind to kill Hyuk Dojin.

“Since the madman is dead too…”

As Moyong Sowol’s voice seemed to fade, her figure disappeared from Geum Hyul’s sight.

Her next voice flowed from behind Geum Hyul.

“Now it’s your turn to die.”