Soul Summoning Sword

Chapter 35: Swallowed by the Spinning Wind (5)

Heuk Yeomjo, though at some distance… witnessed the entire scene.

His eyes shook with surprise and tension. Gugwi had manifested ten parts of the spirit’s martial arts.

“It’s not just Soul Arts…. The ability to draw out a spirit’s martial arts reaches the level of the Twelve True Armies.”

Heuk Yeomjo muttered.

Most Soul-Summoners could not use even six parts of a spirit’s martial arts. The Seven Cold Wolves could use about six parts.

He recorded without missing the moment when Gugwi struck the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit.

An even match in a fierce brawl with the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit, known as the Murim Alliance Leader’s closest aide and the problem solver of the Murim Alliance.

He had never seen such a Soul-Summoner before.

“What the hell is that bastard? They said he was at the First Level of Spiritual Sensitivity….”

Heuk Yeomjo’s hand trembled.

He recalled So Taeryeon’s report. It had been said he had only awakened half a year ago. Yet the skill he was seeing now surpassed even himself, the Captain of the Black Blood Unit.

He pulled out a carrier pigeon from his bosom.

Not only the Heavenly Sound Cult, but also headquarters and each division had to be informed.

On the first carrier pigeon, he hastily wrote:

「Request cancellation of order to capture Gugwi. Immediate elimination required. Detailed report of clash with the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit.」

Even as he spoke, he inscribed the full details into the pigeon’s message.

「Confirmed Gugwi’s ability to use ten parts of spirit martial arts. Extremely dangerous. Priority elimination target.」

Flap flap!

The carrier pigeon soared into the night sky.

Heuk Yeomjo carefully descended from the tree. Silently, he pursued Yun Seoha.

“When he broke the Blood Crystal, I thought it was simple luck… but someone like that should absolutely be killed.”

Yeon Sohye supported Gugwi, who was covered in blood.

As soon as he was supported, Gugwi went limp. The moment his tension loosened, his injuries flared.

“I can still… walk.”

“How could you walk with a body so battered? It’s fine, just lean on me.”

Yeon Sohye stepped deeper into Silver Moon Valley.

Within Silver Moon Valley, there was a place where no one ever tread. A completely forgotten place, a secret location.

A narrow cave hidden behind a moss-covered rock.

At its entrance, an old engraving was carved. A Han Wolf Sect symbol etched in a playful manner by someone long ago.

Mist naturally enveloped the cave, as though deliberately concealing it.

“It’s a secret place created during the war with the Heavenly Sound Cult. Back then, we never knew when a surprise attack would come.”

Yeon Sohye spoke. Yet… for some reason, her voice began to tremble.

“It’s only used in times of true emergency.”

Inside, the cave was more spacious than expected. The walls were carved with intricate Soul-Summoning formations. The floor was covered with soft moss.

Yeon Sohye gently laid Gugwi down. But suddenly, she staggered.

Looking at her arm, the wound from the Poison Dart revealed a black line that had reached her shoulder. The Blood Poison was spreading rapidly.

“So Ryeonghwa… are you calling me?”

Yeon Sohye murmured.

From her ears came silver whispers—the hallucinations of a Spirit Union, said to be heard by Soul-Summoners on the brink of death.

So Ryeonghwa’s voice faintly resounded.

‘Come here… it’s peaceful….’

“No. I can’t go yet.”

Yeon Sohye shook her head. But her body no longer obeyed.

“Am I… really dying?”

Her legs gave out.

Thud!

Unable to resist, she collapsed beside Gugwi. Her consciousness gradually faded.

The cave grew silent.

The engravings on the wall faintly glowed in response to their life forces. In the damp air, only their ragged breaths echoed.

Ssshhh!

Yun Seoha hurried into the cave.

There were two pursuing squads. Though the Blue Blood Unit had withdrawn, they might still be following. The Black Blood Unit would surely seize the chance to strike.

Yun Seoha had circled around to distract them, then rushed here.

The first thing she saw was Yeon Sohye lying as though dead. Gugwi collapsing was to be expected, but Yeon Sohye should have been moving normally.

“Yeon Sohye! What happened!”

Whoosh!

Yun Seoha rushed forward in one stride, examining the blackened wound. The poison had reached near her heart.

“Blood Poison! Ah! That Poison Dart… I forgot because of the Blue Blood Unit’s sudden appearance. Blood Spirit Herb! She needs Blood Spirit Herb….”

She knew exactly what herbs Yeon Sohye needed.

Blood Spirit Herb, Gonghwa Root, Jeonbaki Mushroom… all grew deep within Silver Moon Valley. They could be gathered within a few hours. But Yeon Sohye would be in grave danger if she wasn’t treated within that time.

Yet the greater problem remained. Both were unable to move.

From outside the cave came a strange presence mixed with the wind. It carried the scent of Blood Poison.

“The Black Blood Unit… they’re searching for us. Damn!”

Yun Seoha frowned.

Right now, the two needed protection. But without the herbs, Yeon Sohye would die.

“Phew! No choice then. Let’s leave it to fate. Hold on.”

She placed her hand upon the Soul-Summoning engravings at the cave entrance and infused her energy.

Ssshhh!

Mist rose, cloaking the entrance.

The playful symbols carved long ago doubled as a camouflage mechanism for the hideout.

“Doing this will drain me further… haah!”

Yun Seoha summoned the Spirit Union Baek Soryeong.

“Guard the entrance. Inform me at once if anyone approaches.”

Baek Soryeong’s spirit took its place at the cave entrance.

In this way, summoning a Spirit Union and binding it as a Wandering Spirit allowed it to serve as a guard post. But it inflicted heavy damage on the spirit. And that damage was fully transferred to its master.

Yun Seoha placed her hand on Yeon Sohye’s forehead. Her fever was rising.

“Endure. I’ll be back soon.”

She left the cave.

Mist hung thick across Silver Moon Valley, even denser near the cave. One could barely see a step ahead. Yet with the poison-detecting ability of the Spirit Union Kang Mukran, herbs could be found quickly.

Owooooo!

From afar came the howl of wolves.

‘Hm? What’s that smell…?’

Gugwi, who had been staring at the beautiful night sky, frowned at the scent.

It came seeping from the ground. Familiar, yet ominous.

The same scent that emanated from Yeon Sohye’s body. But now, it carried the stench of death.

In that instant, the final moments of his father, Guun, resurfaced.

His father’s hand, growing cold. The exact same smell had lingered then. At the time, he hadn’t realized… but now he knew. He could smell the scent of death. Surely, this too was because of the Spirit Flow Core.

The lights of the Realm of the Threshold wavered uneasily.

“Is the Captain… dying? Or already dead?”

Even if she had died, within the Realm of the Threshold it could not be known. Even if she had flowed into the Realm after death. When people died, they became light. All the nebulae unfolding before his eyes were spirits, were light.

“I cannot… lose the Captain! Urgh!”

Gugwi forcibly emerged from the Realm of the Threshold. His shattered body screamed in pain, but he ignored it.

“Ah!”

When he opened his eyes, Yeon Sohye was collapsed before him, her face pale.

He quickly pressed his hand beneath her nose, but her breathing was growing weaker. The black line rising from her arm had invaded her neck.

Gugwi, lying on the floor, crawled forward desperately. With broken ribs, even breathing was difficult. Yeon Sohye lay just ahead of him… only two steps away… he crawled, dripping with sweat.

“Captain… wake up!”

Gugwi shook her shoulder.

No response.

“I cannot lose the Captain too. Never!”

After his father’s passing, she had been the only one who helped him whenever hardships came.

The despair of losing someone close, the despair of losing family, surged upon him. But he could not give up.

‘With this, I can do it.’

Baaang!

He forcibly roused the Spirit Flow Core of his heart.

It was disobeying Yun Seoha’s prohibition, but there was no choice.

Blue light filled the cave.

In that instant, a miraculous thing occurred. The energy of the Spirit Flow Core began to react with the poison within Yeon Sohye’s body. The poison was sucked out and purified in the air.

The blackened wound gradually regained its original color. The black line that had risen to her neck slowly faded.

“The Spirit Flow Core… it has such power too?”

Gugwi marveled.

He had felt he might be able to do it… but he had not known it truly possessed healing power. It seemed effective because Yeon Sohye had been struck by Soul-Summoning Arts.

He could not stop here. He had to heal her more thoroughly.

Baaang!

He circulated the inner arts of the Cloud Flow Spirit Heart.

He transferred the energy of the Nameless Martial Artist’s spirit to Yeon Sohye.

Soon, Yeon Sohye’s pulse began to stabilize.

The blue light resonated with the Soul-Summoning engravings on the cave wall. Faint whispers of spirits could be heard. It was like the blessing of the ancestors of the Cold Wolf Sect.

Yeon Sohye’s face gradually regained vitality.

Her breathing stabilized evenly. The black poison that had spread to her neck vanished completely.

“Now… you are safe.”

Gugwi breathed a sigh of relief. But his own state worsened further. It was the backlash of overusing the Spirit Flow Core.

Exhausted, he collapsed beside Yeon Sohye.

His consciousness began to blur.

Yun Seoha returned urgently, her arms full of Blood Spirit Herb and other medicinal plants.

At the cave entrance, Baek Soryeong greeted her, signaling that nothing unusual had occurred.

When she entered the cave, an astonishing sight unfolded.

Yeon Sohye’s wounds were completely healed. Even the poison was gone.

“How…?”

Looking at Gugwi, he appeared even weaker. But his hand was gripping Yeon Sohye’s wrist. And… the cave was enveloped by swirling blue light… like scattered grains.

“The Spirit Flow Core… can it heal too?”

Yun Seoha was shocked. She had never imagined the Spirit Flow Core possessed healing ability.

“Hah! Truly an astounding power.”

She ground the Blood Spirit Herb she had brought and applied it to Yeon Sohye’s wound, ensuring complete recovery.

“There’s no need to worry anymore.”

She exhaled in relief and turned to Gugwi.

“You must be treated too. Healing power is not yours alone.”

Baaang!

She summoned Jin Unseo, who purified Gugwi’s wounds with wind. She used Kang Mukran’s poison to remove bacteria. This way, the torn and lacerated wounds would not fester, and his flesh would knit far faster.

“Rest now. You’ve endured much.”

The Soul-Summoning energy within the cave gradually stabilized, and the glow of the engravings dimmed.

‘Found them!’

Heuk Yeomjo finally located Yun Seoha within the forest. He had not discovered her himself—Blood Poison Demon Spirit had.

The Blood Poison Demon Spirit could detect the energy of Soul-Summoners.

Heuk Yeomjo patiently waited while Yun Seoha gathered herbs. Then he followed her path back.

Through the deep mist… he found the cave entrance. There, the Blood Poison Demon Spirit sensed Baek Soryeong’s presence and halted.

“At last.”

Heuk Yeomjo smiled coldly.

He had confirmed the cave’s precise location. He could roughly estimate its internal structure as well.

He drew out a carrier pigeon and wrote an urgent message.

「Exact location of the Silver Moon Valley hideout confirmed. Request order regarding capture or elimination of Gugwi.」

The carrier pigeon soared into the night sky.

It did not need to fly all the way to the Heavenly Sound Cult headquarters. The Seven Armies were only an hour away. Receiving her order would suffice.

Ssshh!

Heuk Yeomjo quietly withdrew.

Having confirmed the entrance, there was no need to hurry. He would wait nearby for the Black Blood Unit, then strike at once. Facing Yun Seoha alone was difficult.

He climbed a tree and concealed himself.

A perfect vantage point.

From afar, the presence of the Black Blood Unit began to draw near.

Black mist and the screams of Original Spirit Souls drifted on the wind. This time, a greater force was coming.

Heuk Yeomjo wore a satisfied expression.

“This time, I will not let them escape.”