Chapter 78: The Spearman Who Gained Strength (3)

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of bells rang through the entire fortress, shaking it to its core. It was an alarm. A signal that every martial artist within Black Blood Fortress (흑혈성) was now on the move.

But Gugwi remained calm.

He pulled out a small leather pouch from his robe. Inside, thin iron needles were neatly arranged. He had prepared them in advance while learning Vibrating Acupuncture of Blood Points from Namgung Hoyoung (남궁호영).

While Namgung Hoyoung was treating Jang Unhyeok, Gugwi approached Yeon Sohye.

Black blood was seeping from her side, and her face had turned pale.

“Can that acupuncture really be trusted?”

Yeon Sohye asked with a faint smile at her lips. It was a joke — a small act of defiance, a will not to lose her composure even now.

“I’ve no idea.”

Gugwi replied with a grin.

A flash of steel glimmered between his fingers.

The iron needle pierced precisely into the acupoints around her side.

There was a sharp sting — but soon after, a warm energy spread through her body. She could feel the poison ebbing away.

“It doesn’t hurt.”

Yeon Sohye murmured in surprise.

“I thought— maybe medical arts could be learned just like martial arts. I started with the Vibrating Acupuncture of Blood Points. Not bad, right?”

Gugwi smiled.

Namgung Hoyoung, having finished Jang Unhyeok’s treatment, approached Yeon Sohye.

Alongside Gugwi’s iron needles, invisible Spirit Needles (영침) were added. They began to draw out the poison buried deep within. Naturally, their effect was superior — Namgung Hoyoung was the original creator, after all.

Gugwi sat in the corner and began placing needles into his own arm.

The poison unleashed by Kang Hwi (강휘) had seeped in through his skin. It was a toxin specially crafted to kill Jang Unhyeok — unbearable by nature. The fact that Gugwi had endured it this long was already remarkable.

Administering acupuncture on oneself was no easy task. The angles were difficult, and finding the precise acupoints was even harder.

But Gugwi focused.

He inserted needles in sequence — Zusamni (족삼리), Gokji (곡지), and Hapgok Acupoints (합곡혈). A faint vibration spread as the poison began to drain away.

And then— a man appeared through the haze of poison.

A man in crimson armor.

In his hand gleamed a blood-red spear, radiating murderous intent from its tip.

“Red Spear Warrior! (적창무사!)”

Jang Unhyeok groaned the name under his breath.

“You know him?”

Yeon Sohye asked.

“He’s one of the Ten Wolf Fangs under the Heavenly Sound Cult. Not a Soul-Summoner, but… think of them as ten sharp fangs — mercenaries with peerless skills. Their reasons for serving the cult vary, but all are warriors who’ve survived countless battlefields.”

“Phew! Sounds like trouble.”

Yeon Sohye shook her head.

“There’s nowhere to run.”

The Red Spear Warrior’s voice rang coldly.

“All of you die here. I’ll send you off swiftly.”

Gugwi stood, pulling the needle from his arm.

“You two still need to purge the poison. That leaves only me. I can’t just die like he says — I’ll have to fight.”

He raised his spear.

“Un Serim ! General Madal !”

Twin Spirit Convergence.

Two spirits appeared at Gugwi’s sides — Un Serim’s spear technique and General Madal’s blade arts began to merge as one.

The Red Spear Warrior moved. The air itself tore apart.

Shaaak!

The crimson armor blurred, leaving a trail of light as he dashed toward Gugwi — like a bolt of blood-stained lightning.

The spear tip aimed straight for Gugwi’s heart.

A silence of death fell. Time seemed to stop.

Gugwi’s eyes fixed on the spear tip. Strangely, he could see his reflection in the blade — not a face of fear, but one calm and cold.

It happened in an instant.

Gugwi’s spear came down like lightning.

KWAANG!

The clash of steel exploded. Sparks of flame burst, scattering the darkness around them.

The Red Spear Warrior’s weapon was driven down toward the ground.

TAANG!

Cracks spread across the stone floor — but the warrior was already moving again. Spinning on the spear shaft, he swept toward Gugwi’s ankle — a blisteringly fast rotational strike.

Whoosh!

The air howled as the spear shaft sliced through it.

Gugwi leapt into the air.

The moment his body rose, the spear shaft cut through where he had been standing — missing by a hair’s breadth.

From midair, Gugwi struck downward with his spear. The momentum of his descent and the strength of his arms fused into a single devastating blow.

The Red Spear Warrior lifted his weapon to block.

BOOM!

The two spears clashed head-on.

The warrior’s forearms trembled. Veins bulged up his neck, teeth clenched tight. Sweat dripped from Gugwi’s forehead, falling onto the warrior’s armor below.

Both poured every ounce of strength into the struggle.

Suddenly, the Red Spear Warrior twisted his spear.

CHWAANG!

Gugwi’s spear slipped to the side, breaking his balance. His body tilted off-center—

At that instant, the warrior’s spear lunged forward like a viper.

The crimson blade grazed Gugwi’s shoulder.

Pshhk!

His martial uniform tore, and a crimson line spread. Blood flowed. Yet Gugwi was already counterattacking.

Cloudfire Spear Slash!

A surge of blue light erupted, spinning into a violent whirlwind.

The blue vortex that began at the spear tip grew larger, rushing toward the Red Spear Warrior — like a dragon ascending to the heavens.

The warrior’s eyes widened; his pupils dilated.

“Impressive!”

He hurriedly spun his spear to defend.

But the blue vortex had already wrapped around his weapon.

Screeeech!

Cracks raced along the spear shaft — the sound of it splintering.

The Red Spear Warrior staggered back, heels scraping the stone floor and leaving deep marks.

“Spirit Union Martial Arts… Impressive. I don’t know whose spear technique that is, but your spirit contact is perfect. Remarkable!”

A hint of awe crept into his voice.

“This is just the beginning. If you’re already surprised— what’ll you do next?”

Gugwi’s gaze turned cold as ice.

He raised his spear once more, drawing out every last trace of his qi and focusing it at the tip.

‘Celestial Cloud Strike!’

In an instant, the spear vanished.

No— it was simply too fast to see. Only a trail of starlike brilliance flashed through the air.

The Red Spearman desperately swung his spear from side to side.

Clang! Cl-cl-clang!

Spears collided in rapid succession.

Sparks rippled like waves. Gugwi’s assault did not cease, nor did the Red Spearman’s defense falter.

Cl-cl-cl-clang!

Once, twice, thrice… ten times, twenty times… it was as though lightning struck over and over again.

The Red Spearman’s defense began to waver.

The shaft of his spear split apart, blood spilling from his palms.

At last, his defensive line collapsed.

Puk!

Gugwi’s spear pierced through the Red Spearman’s shoulder.

“Ghhhk!”

The man’s scream echoed through the corridor as crimson blood spurted like a fountain from his shoulder.

He staggered backward, yet the light in his eyes had not faded.

“Impressive… against me, of all people….”

Whoosh!

He shifted his spear to his left hand—the one uninjured.

“You couldn’t manage it with your right, and yet with your left? Give it up.”

“I refuse to be insulted!”

Shweeeeng!

A crimson aura burst out from the Red Spearman’s entire body.

The spear was wrapped in a bloody breath—his killing intent took tangible form. It was unmistakably a strike meant to kill.

Gugwi clenched his teeth.

‘Cloudfire Spear Slash!’

This time, his spear technique erupted even more fiercely.

A blue whirlwind surged like a raging storm.

The two forces clashed head-on.

Kwahhhh!

A deafening explosion tore through the corridor, shaking the entire passage like an earthquake. Stones rained down from the ceiling. Smoke and dust filled the air… and then, silence.

The smoke gradually cleared.

The Red Spearman stood leaning against the wall—no, he could barely stand without it.

A gaping hole pierced through his chest, blood streaming endlessly.

His spear was shattered, fragments scattered across the floor. The weapon was completely destroyed.

“This… can’t be….”

Blood dribbled from his lips, and his body slumped to the ground.

Thud.

His heavy armor struck the floor.

“Can you move?”

Gugwi looked at Yeon Sohye and Jang Unhyeok as he spoke.

“What can I say… trying to find a safe place only to walk straight into a trap. Damn.”

Jang Unhyeok muttered gloomily as he pushed himself up.

But the fight wasn’t over yet.

Footsteps thundered like an earthquake shaking the entire fortress—more martial artists were rushing toward them.

“At this rate, we’ll be surrounded.”

Yeon Sohye’s voice was laced with concern. The poison had left her system, and her face had regained much of its color.

“What do we do? If only there were another path, but from here… there’s only the way back or the route to the central plaza. Both are likely blocked. This… I’m really sorry.”

Jang Unhyeok scanned the corridor as he spoke.

The Central Plaza of Black Blood Fortress was vast.

The black marble floor was stained deep red with old blood—the remnants of centuries of slaughter. Under the moonlight, it looked as if the blood still flowed.

Ma Ungyeol stood at the center of the plaza, waiting.

He held a crimson spear.

Blood energy surged from the tip, and the murderous aura flowing through the air pressed upon the entire plaza.

“So, you’ve finally arrived.”

Ma Ungyeol’s voice—cold and calculating—echoed across the square.

Gugwi gripped his spear tightly. The Spirit Flow Core within his chest trembled violently, warning of danger.

“Eleventh True Army Ma Ungyeol. Alias: Red Blood Spear Lord. Spirit Union martial artists, four in total. Main spirit: Red Blood Spear King. Sub-spirits: Mad Spear Demon, Overlord Spear General, Dark Spirit Spear Horseman.”

Jang Unhyeok whispered quickly under his breath.

“Shall we begin?”

At that moment, a tearing sound split the air, and a red spirit emerged, wrapping itself around Ma Ungyeol—

a massive armored warrior wielding a spear that reeked of blood.

Even without being told, they knew—

it was the Red Blood Spear King.

The spear’s crimson aura gathered and twisted, shredding the air in spirals.

“Whether there are four Spirit Union martial artists or five…”

Paaang!

Gugwi instantly entered the Realm of the Threshold, unleashing the pulse of his Spirit Flow Core.

Spiritless Zone!

Blue light exploded outward.

Yet unexpectedly, the Red Blood Spear King’s crimson energy pierced straight through the light.

In the zone where all spirits should vanish, he swung his spear violently, colliding directly with the Spirit Flow Core.

Bang!

Blue radiance and crimson aura clashed.

The resulting shockwave shook the entire plaza.

Gugwi’s Dantian surged wildly. The blue light of the Spirit Flow Core reversed from his Dantian back to his heart, causing it to overload.

Pain tore through him as if his heart were about to burst.

“Ughk!”

He dropped to his knees, blood dripping from his mouth.

Yeon Sohye darted forward.

“Gugwi!”

She had already summoned So Ryeonghwa.

A silver mist began to spread across the plaza, quickly clouding their vision.

Jang Unhyeok moved too.

“Blazing Fire Warrior! Wind Sword Wolf!”

Two spirits appeared at his side—flames of red and winds of blue fused together.

Harmony of Flame and Wind!

A whirlwind of fire and wind erupted, sweeping through Ma Ungyeol’s subordinates.

The Black Blood Unit martial artists screamed as they were flung aside. Armor melted, and the stench of burning flesh filled the air.

But Ma Ungyeol did not waver.

“Heh… just as I thought. There was a flaw. The Spirit Flow Core isn’t invincible after all.”

He stepped forward, spear in hand.

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