Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 195

August 11, 2024 • 11 min read • 449 views

Toppling the Legend (2)

Lee Gwak glared at Moon Gwang.

Moon Gwang found it both annoying and amusing that Lee Gwak could look him in the eye without fear.

For decades, no one had dared to look him in the eye.

His many battles in the Jianghu in his youth had built his reputation, and this formidable reputation became his strength.

Since his rise to fame, people either avoided his gaze or bowed deeply at the mere mention of his name.

It was somehow refreshing to see a young martial artist look him in the eye after decades of encountering such people. But whatever his feelings, he was determined to kill him.

He could smell the faint scent of Demon Soul Powder on Lee Gwak. Demon Soul Powder can cause insanity, but it also has a distinctive foul smell that is difficult to remove once it’s on the body.

Although Lee Gwak hadn’t directly inhaled the Demon Soul Powder, he had come into contact with it when he subdued Cheol Gwang Woo, and Moon Gwang had tracked down this trace of Demon Soul Powder.

Suddenly, Lee Gwak asked, “Aren’t you going to ask?”

“Ask what?”

“Who I am, why I’m marked with the Demon Soul Powder, how I came to clash with your men.”

“I’m not curious about any of that.”

“Is that so?”

“Do you inquire about the names of ants crawling on the ground? They might have distinguishing titles or names in their world, but nobody bothers to ask, right? I feel the same.”

“So, I’m an ant to you.”

“Yes.”

“Then why is the elder talking to an ant? According to your logic, you should just step on me and kill me”.

“Indeed. It’s strange. Why am I even talking to you?”

Moon Gwang slightly tilted his head, pondering the reason, and soon concluded.

’It’s because of a sense of unease’

Lee Gwak’s response was unlike anyone he had encountered before.

Unlike most people who would flinch at the mere mention of his nickname, there was no fear or intimidation in Lee Gwak’s eyes.

His gaze was remarkably calm.

This calm demeanor of Lee Gwak caused Moon Gwang to feel a profound sense of unease.

Only then did Moon Gwang feel a strong curiosity about Lee Gwak.

“Who are you?”

“You weren’t interested just a moment ago. You said nobody asks for the names of ants.”

“You seem to be a somewhat special ant. I’ll make an exception and remember your name. Speak.”

“My name is Lee Gwak. I’m the special ant destined to kill you, elder.”

“You, kill me? Hahaha! It’s been a long time since I’ve heard such audacious nonsense.”Moon Gwang burst into laughter.

Lee Gwak smiled too.

“I was an ant a moment ago, now I’ve been promoted to a dog. I’m curious what I’ll be called next.”

“There won’t be a next time. You’re going to die here today. But before I kill you, let me ask one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“Where are your companions? Besides the pair that just left, there must be more.”

“Why do you ask about their whereabouts?”

“Why? To kill them and silence them, of course.”

“Are you planning to exterminate the witnesses?”

“Yes.”

Moon Gwang revealed his true intentions without hesitation.

Although Lee Gwak’s gaze bothered him, he trusted his martial skills.

Moon Gwang had been a dominant force in the Jianghu decades ago. Since then, he had never neglected to hone his martial arts and his confidence was immense.

Moon Gwang addressed his subordinates standing behind him.

“Track down and kill the man and woman who just left.”

“Yes, sir!”

His followers responded and dashed outside.

Bang!

At that moment, Lee Gwak slammed his left palm on the table. The recoil made a cup on the table fly towards him.

Lee Gwak’s right palm struck the flying cup.

Crash!

Instantly, the cup shattered into dozens of pieces.

“Gah!”

“Ugh!”

Moon Gwang’s followers, running towards the entrance, screamed and collapsed. Shards of the broken cup were embedded deep in the back of their heads.

“You!”

Caught off guard by Lee Gwak’s response, Moon Gwang roared as he stood up forcefully.

Thud!

Lee Gwak kicked the table between them. The table flew forward while Lee Gwak, still sitting in his chair, slid backwards.

“How dare you use such a petty trick in front of me!”

Boom!

With a shout, Moon Gwang struck the large table with his palm. The sturdy table splintered into pieces and scattered.

Such an attack was not a threat to Moon Gwang, and Lee Gwak knew this fact well.

The energy emanating from Moon Gwang was not to be underestimated.

‘If we fight inside the inn, many people will get hurt.’

Thump!

Lee Gwak kicked off his chair and launched himself into the air.

His body broke through the inn’s ceiling.

“Do you think you can escape?”

Moon Gwang chased after Lee Gwak, leaping into the air.

Bang!

The two burst through the roof of the inn.

Crashing through the rooftop, both men emerged outside, with Lee Gwak already wielding his blade, having grabbed it from his room during his breakthrough.

At that moment, Moon Gwang spread his hands wide toward Lee Gwak’s back.

Boom!

With a thunderous roar, a massive amount of qi erupted from Moon Gwang’s palms.

It was a manifestation of the Heavenly Divine Force.

For decades, no one had withstood a single strike from Moon Gwang. The Heavenly Divine Force possessed such terrifying power.

Moon Gwang was certain that Lee Gwak would be crushed like minced meat under his palm.

Then, Lee Gwak, while still in mid-air, spun and gripped his blade tightly.

Whoosh!

With a chilling sound, Lee Gwak’s blade sliced through the air, splitting the formidable palm qi Moon Gwang had sent hurtling towards him.

“What?”

Moon Gwang’s eyes widened in shock.

Never before had his attack been so easily countered, leaving him utterly astonished.

In the meantime, both men landed on the ground.

People on the street stepped back in fear, startled by the sudden appearance of the two men breaking through the roof.

“A fight between martial artists!”

“On the streets, no less.”

The onlookers stared at the two with a mix of fear and anticipation.

Watching a fight was one of the most thrilling spectacles, especially a rare duel between skilled martial artists.

Despite their fear, people watched the two with eyes filled with anticipation.

With all eyes on them, Moon Gwang felt embarrassed. His plan to quietly eliminate witnesses had been thwarted. But soon, his expression turned cold.

“If you want to die in front of everyone, so be it.”

Lee Gwak then boldly challenged Moon Gwang.

“I, Lee Gwak of the Mad Martial Sect, humbly request a duel with Elder Moon Gwang.”

“You?”

“I request Elder Moon to graciously accept my challenge.”

Moon Gwang gritted his teeth when Lee Gwak revealed his identity to the public. He never expected to be provoked in such a way.

“Fine! I accept your challenge, Lee Gwak!”

“Thank you, Elder.”

Lee Gwak lowered his fists and let his blade hang by his side.

Though it appeared to be an unguarded stance, Moon Gwang couldn’t find any openings in Lee Gwak’s defense. He finally discarded his underestimation of Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak’s martial arts and spirit were beyond his expectations.

“As a young martial artist of the current era, I hadn’t expected to meet someone like you. I will give it my all.”

“That is all I ask.”

“Let’s engage in a proper battle, then.”

Snap!

They moved almost simultaneously.

Crash!

Their weapons clashed, sending shockwaves through the air.

“Gasp!”

“Good heavens!”

The people who had been watching the duel with rapt attention were swept off their feet by the tempestuous energy swirling around the two martial artists.

“Good Lord! To think it’s the Gatekeeper Assassin Moon Gwang, a legendary martial artist of the previous generation.”

“And who is that young martial artist daring to fight him? Lee Gwak? I’ve never heard that name before.”

A dazzling silver flash sliced through the air.

Lee Gwak’s blade was aimed at Moon Gwang’s neck. Despite the deadly blade being aimed at him, Moon Gwang was unperturbed and used the utmost skill of the Heavenly Divine Force to protect his vital points.

Shick! Shick!

The crowd could only hear the terrifying sounds of the air being torn apart; they couldn’t see the movements of the two fighters.

All they could perceive were faint, flickering afterimages.

Lee Gwak and Moon Gwang moved at a speed that was impossible for ordinary eyes to follow.

To onlookers, it seemed as if they had only clashed a few times, but in reality they had already exchanged dozens of blows.

‘The kid is exceptional.’

A faint light of admiration flickered in Moon Gwang’s eyes.

In the dozens of exchanges, he hadn’t once managed to gain the upper hand.

Lee Gwak’s bladesman ship was simple.

In a sense, it was just a repetition of six movements: slashing, chopping, swinging, pushing, stabbing, and pressing.

Yet, there was something more—a chilling essence that unsettled the heart.

‘Surely this isn’t the extent of his full strength?’

For the first time in a long while, Moon Gwang felt a refreshing exhilaration in his chest.

Since joining the White Light Sect, he had never felt so invigorated.

His fame had grown as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and his body had enjoyed comfort, but there had always been a deep-seated thirst in his heart.

Now, he felt he understood what he had been so thirsty for.

A duel where everything was at stake.

The wild instinct he had lost over the decades was awakening at this moment.

Boom!

Moon Gwang unleashed the Heavenly Divine Force to its fullest, genuinely and without reservation.

The technique was simple, but its power could overturn the earth. Yet, Lee Gwak quietly neutralized every attack, steadily closing the distance between them.

The closer Lee Gwak got, the more Moon Gwang felt a sense of crisis, sharpening his senses further.

“Excellent!”

Moon Gwang couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, a smile forming on his lips.

The fight was reaching its climax, and Moon Gwang prepared to use a technique he had never unveiled before.

Heaven-Collapsing Fearless Palm

A technique so potent that it required an immense amount of internal energy, he had only recently perfected it after decades of refinement.

The power was so immense that he had never dared to use it in duels with the Four Heavenly Kings. Their duels were not battles to the death, but opportunities to seek enlightenment.

The tremendous energy gathered around Moon Gwang caused the buildings in the vicinity to shake violently, as if they were hit by an earthquake.

“Ugh!”

The streets erupted with screams as people fled in terror, yet a few remained, anchored to their spots, watching the confrontation unfold. These were martial artists, trained in the ways of martial arts.

‘Lee Gwak!’

‘To push Moon Gwang to such an extent, a young martial artist like him…’

They mulled over Lee Gwak’s name, witnessing the final clash between the two fighters. This moment could become a lifetime’s tale of pride to tell their descendants.

Then it happened.

Flash!

A tremendous light exploded from Moon Gwang’s entire body, and an unprecedentedly enormous energy burst forth from his hands.

Boom!

The impact, akin to the heavens collapsing, struck the area, followed by a flash of lightning.

Shh!

And then, silence descended.

The martial artists watching the duel felt an inexplicable chill run down their spines.

Their skin crawled.

An ominous premonition crept up their spines, unidentifiable yet palpably menacing.

Until that moment, they were unaware.

What the sensation they were feeling meant.

They did not understand the true nature of their emotions until the dust that had obscured their vision had settled.

It was fear.

“My God!”

A cry, almost like a scream, erupted from someone.

Before their eyes was the sight of one of the legends of the Jianghu crumbling.

The fall of what seemed like an invincible legend instilled an indescribable fear in the hearts of the onlookers.