Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 132

I Am Needed (1)

“So cheon!”

Lee Gwak clenched his teeth.

It was because the signs of life from Han So cheon were too weak.

He had run with all his might.

He hadn’t slept, hadn’t rested.

Like a madman, he ran with all his might.

He did not think that Han So cheon would be safe.

He just hoped she would survive.

He hoped that she would still be breathing by the time he arrived.

She was a strong woman.

If only she could be saved, she was the kind who would cling to her life and survive on her own.

He knew this in his head, his heart was pounding as if it would burst at any moment.
Han So cheon was a complete mess.

Aside from the minor wounds, she had five daggers embedded in her body, making her resemble a porcupine, but he couldn’t just pull them out. The moment they were pulled out, Han So Cheon would bleed to death.

Lee Gwak bit his lip hard.

He didn’t even ask Han So cheon if she was okay.

He simply tightened his grip on Han So cheon. That alone was a great support to her.

Limping against Lee Gwak’s back, Han So cheon opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry! For putting Gwak oraboni in danger just for someone like me…”

“You are not just ‘someone’ .”

Lee Gwak clenched his teeth.

Han So cheon was not worthless, to be used as a mere weapon and then discarded as a scapegoat.

Han So cheon’s complexion was so pale it seemed like she could stop breathing at any moment. Then, it occurred to him that he had elixir in his possession. It was the life-saving pill that Yong Cheon Myeong had thrown at him, pretending to be generous. It had far more remarkable effects than what Han So cheon had received from the Hidden Blood Squad.

Without hesitation, Lee Gwak administered the life-saving pill to Han So cheon.

That was when.

“Is she your lover? How touching.”

Gwan Il Hyeon’s sarcasm could be heard.

There was a gleam of wariness in his eyes. Such was the remarkable martial prowess that Lee Gwak had shown.

“Who are you? I have never heard of a master like you in the delegation.”

“Lee Gwak!”

“What?”

“My name is Lee Gwak.”

“Lee Gwak?”

Gwan Il Hyeon wore a puzzled expression.

If he was a notable martial artist in the delegation, Gwan Il Hyeon would have heard of him. But he had never heard the name Lee Gwak before. That meant that Lee Gwak was completely unknown.

“Hmph! You must be a hidden master of the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

Gwan Il Hyeon’s lips twisted.

It was customary to send a master in disguise to secretly protect the delegation. So he didn’t pay much attention to the name Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak’s gaze deepened.

“As expected, you don’t remember.”

Gwan Il Hyeon’s baseless venting had left him unable to move for a year, lying down like a paralyzed person.

His life had fallen into an abyss, yet Gwan Il Hyeon, the perpetrator, did not even remember him. To Gwan Il Hyeon, Lee Gwak was such an insignificant existence.

Although Lee Gwak had guessed as much, directly confirming it caused anger to slowly rise from deep within his heart.

Then, Gwan Il Hyeon spoke with a sharp voice.

“Running to this place just to save a mere assassin. It brings tears to my eyes.”

“……”

“There are a lot of bitches in the world. With your skills, you could choose anyone you like, yet you risk your life for just an assassin. What a waste of your martial arts. That woman will only be a harm to the world if she lives. The world does not need her.”

Gwan Il Hyeon’s words were like a dagger stabbing into Han So cheon’s heart.

Her body, already frail, trembled.

Han So cheon knew.

Lee Gwak’s heart had already left the Jade Heaven Alliance.

It was purely her selfish desire that had kept him tied to the Jade Heaven Alliance.

At some point, she began to see Lee Gwak.

She came to rely on him emotionally.

Performing countless murders as an assassin, her humanity was wearing thin, but it was Lee Gwak who kept her human.

In Lee Gwak’s embrace, she could still feel that she was human.

She wanted to be loved and comforted.

By Lee Gwak, and no one else.

So, she held onto him.

She made him stay in the Jade Heaven Alliance.

It was as if she had clipped the wings of the man named Lee Gwak.

“I’m sorry! Oraboni. I really…”

“Do not waver.”

“Huh?”

“Never waver.”

“Maybe he’s right. I’m just a harm to the world if I live. I’m not worth existing.”

“You are not worthless.”

Despite Lee Gwak’s words, Han So cheon’s eyes had lost their vitality.

Strength did not return to her hands.

Thinking that she was just a burden to Lee Gwak, she lost all reasons to cling to life.

Her consciousness sank deeper and deeper.

Into the bottomless abyss.

Then, Lee Gwak’s voice pulled her consciousness from the deep bottom.

“I need you, So cheon!”

A twitch!

Her body, falling endlessly into the abyss, convulsed.

Screech!

Lee Gwak tore through his windbreaker, wrapping Han So cheon’s body tightly against his. Confirming there was no space between him and Han So cheon, Lee Gwak looked forward and continued speaking.

“Let’s live, let’s live to see the end and laugh at this filthy Jianghu to our hearts’ content.”

“Oraboni!”

“So… just trust me.”

Swoosh!

Lee Gwak drew his sword.

Han So cheon tightened her grip on Lee Gwak’s neck.

“I will trust you!”

This was the man who had traveled hundreds of li to come back.

To a place where the chance of death was much higher than that of survival.

If she couldn’t trust such a man, then whom could she trust?

She was told she was needed, despite being so insignificant.

Therefore, she would live, if not for herself, then for him.

Han So cheon clenched her teeth.

Focus returned to her eyes, which had lost their vitality.

While being carried on Lee Gwak’s back, Han So cheon began to circulate her internal energy.

The Jade Heaven Alliance had collected the martial arts of countless assassins, and had extracted the essence of each of them to create the Black Abyss Heart Technique.

The greatest advantage of the Black Abyss Heart Technique was that it allowed one to circulate internal energy while moving. And upon reaching its peak, one could freely control every part of their body.

Body temperature, involuntary muscles, internal organs, and even the speed at which blood circulates could all be controlled at will.

Han So cheon had already mastered the Black Abyss Heart Technique.

While being carried on Lee Gwak’s back, she blocked out all external sensations.

She trusted Lee Gwak completely, leaving everything to him and focusing solely on recovery.

As Han So cheon circulated the Black Abyss Heart Technique, the life-saving pill Lee Gwak had administered melted inside her body and responded.

“It’s done.”

Lee Gwak’s eyes shone.

What Han So cheon needed most was the will to live. No matter how many medicines were prescribed, they would have no effect on someone without the will to live.

Lee Gwak put aside his worries for Han So cheon.

Beyond this, there was nothing more he could do.

Leaving the recovery to Han So cheon, Lee Gwak focused on the situation unfolding before them.

They had barely managed to escape from Gwan Il Hyeon’s grasp, but the situation was far from favorable.

The Phantom Armored Cavalry was still intact, and Gwan Il Hyeon was radiating killing intent.

“Huu!”

Lee Gwak took a deep breath, and his Qi changed.

The pupils of the Phantom Armored Cavalry and Gwan Il Hyeon shook slightly.

It was because Lee Gwak’s figure seemed to disappear from sight, leaving only the illusion of his sword visible.

This phenomenon occurred when one staked everything on a single sword. Only a blade master of the highest caliber could achieve such harmony.

“How presumptuous!”

Gwan Il Hyeon’s eyes narrowed fiercely.

From the moment he first saw Lee Gwak, he had an inexplicably bad feeling. Everything about Lee Gwak irritated him.

Especially the way Lee Gwak looked at him, which was annoying yet strangely familiar.
Suddenly, Lee Gwak’s words came to mind.

Lee Gwak spoke as if they had met before. But Gwan Il Hyeon was certain he had never encountered someone like Lee Gwak before.

If he had met someone with Lee Gwak’s martial prowess, he would never forget him, no matter how many years passed.

“Everyone, take him down…”

Pop!

The moment Gwan Il Hyeon was about to order the Phantom Armored Cavalry, Lee Gwak suddenly launched off the ground and charged towards him.

Lee Gwak completely ignored the Phantom Armored Cavalry.

Instinctively, he knew that engaging in a melee with them would only drain his strength.

The surest way to capture a viper was to cut off its head.

Currently, the head of this group is Gwan Il Hyeon. And Lee Gwak harbored a deep grudge against him. Even though Gwan Il Hyeon did not remember this fact, Lee Gwak had never once forgotten Gwan Il Hyeon’s face.

Swoosh!

Lee Gwak’s sword flew towards Gwan Il Hyeon’s neck.

It was the technique of the Mountain Splitting Slash.

Clang!

However, Gwan Il Hyeon easily deflected Lee Gwak’s sword.

He was also a supreme swordsman, known as the Blood Chakra Demonic Blade. His skills were in no way inferior to Lee Gwak’s. In fact, in terms of experience and precision, he was far superior to Lee Gwak.

“How dare you!”

Gwan Il Hyeon bellowed as he swung his sword.

Whoosh!

Each swing of his sword split the air, causing it to ripple.

Soon, a dense aura enveloped Gwan Il Hyeon’s sword. He judged that just the sword’s aura was enough to handle Lee Gwak.

Clash!

Lee Gwak and Gwan Il Hyeon’s swords collided dozens of times.

Sparks flew, scattering in all directions.

Zip!

The sharp sound of the air being cut was painful to the ears.

The shock from the sword’s impact traveled up the grip and into the wielder’s body. Yet, Lee Gwak’s expression remained unchanged as he executed the Eight Sects Sword Art.

Lee Gwak’s eyes were deeper than ever.

‘There’s only one chance.’

He coldly assessed the situation.

The Phantom Armored Cavalry had yet to move, out of respect for Gwan Il Hyeon’s pride.
Had they faced Lee Gwak from the beginning, it might have been different, but intervening now in this duel with Gwan Il Hyeon would be seen as disrespect.

Lee Gwak had deliberately ignored the Phantom Armored Cavalry and charged directly at Gwan Il Hyeon for this reason.

He had to kill Gwan Il Hyeon in one strike. Failing that and only injuring him would surely bring the Phantom Armored Cavalry into the fray.

The fourth and fifth forms of the Eight Sects Sword Art were unleashed in succession.
Blood Dragon’s Roar.

Lone Scorch Demon.

Shadowy Assassinate

These forms of the Eight Sects Sword Art were particularly powerful, but they posed no significant threat to Gwan Il Hyeon.

“Is this all you’ve got?”

Gwan Il Hyeon’s eyes gleamed.

The sword technique he mastered was the Lion King Sword.

Among the numerous sword techniques of the Celestial Demon Troupe, it proudly ranked within the top ten of absolute martial arts.

Gwan Il Hyeon had mastered the Lion King Sword to the eighth level of mastery. It was the first time in the history of the Celestial Demon Troupe that someone of Gwan Il Hyeon’s age had achieved such a level of mastery with the Lion King Sword.

If it weren’t for his most respected yet feared and envied elder brother, he would have feared nothing.

The Lion King Sword was indeed the strongest sword technique, worthy of such pride.

The Lion King Sword, perfected over many years, far surpassed the power of the Eight Sects Sword Art. Yet, Lee Gwak was still holding on because of the Eight-Snakes Art.

Originating from the Yoga Secret Manual, this exceptional internal energy technique had doubled the power of the Eight Sects Sword Art.

A great serpent was coiling around Lee Gwak’s body, supplying him with tremendous strength, and the sixth serpent, through which the heart eye was opened, allowed him to read the flow of the Lion King Sword.

Lee Gwak’s senses were fully open towards Gwan Il Hyeon.

He missed none of his breaths, glances, or muscle movements, detecting everything.

All of these combined allowed Lee Gwak to barely withstand the tremendous power of the Lion King Sword.

“How arrogant!”

Gwan Il Hyeon was enraged by Lee Gwak’s resilience.

Clearly, the fact that he was struggling against an opponent with inferior martial arts skills irritated him.

“This man! I will destroy him along with that bitch.”

Gwan Il Hyeon’s anger exploded.

Whoosh!

The ultimate technique of the Lion King Sword, Lion’s Annihilation, was unleashed.

An enormous energy gathered towards Gwan Il Hyeon’s sword.

‘Now!’

This was the moment Lee Gwak had been waiting for.