When he used the completed Void-Origin Energy together with the true chapter of the Primordial Innate Heart Method, his hair now turned white like this.

What mattered was only one thing.

The amount of energy he could make erupt for a brief instant—

through the Madness Blood Veins, it had reached a level three or four times stronger than before.

He swung the sword horizontally.

Absolute Ice Returning to the Void Sword.

Serrrk—!

A straight line.

The sword force shot out in a straight line.

It split the ice flowers.

Pierced through the cold.

And went straight for Seol Cheonhwa.

Seol Cheonhwa’s eyes widened.

He hurriedly raised his sword to block.

Chaeng—!

Kwaaaa—!

A tremendous impact.

Seol Cheonhwa’s body was driven backward.

More than ten zhang.

His footprints gouged deeply into the ground. The thousands of ice flowers he had unleashed were all shattering in midair and falling to the ground.

It was a magnificent sight, but there was no time to admire it.

Seol Cheonhwa looked down at his sword.

Cracks had spread across the blade.

And a clear line had been carved across his abdomen, from which blood began to pour in heavy drops.

It was not a fatal wound. It was a serious one.

“Seol Unhwi...”

Seol Cheonhwa’s gaze sank into cold stillness.

“...At your age, to be at this level... it makes no sense.”

Seol Cheonhwa silently watched Unhwi adjust his grip on the sword, then said with final resolve,

“Even if it is not today, you must die.”

“Must I?”

“...One day, you will destroy the Snow Palace.”

“How so?”

“...”

“I have told you again and again: you were the one who started this, Third Granduncle, and the one who truly brought hardship upon the Snow Palace is you.”

“...”

“When I was saving the Snow Palace, you only stood in the back with your hands behind your back and watched. Was that not so?”

Seol Cheonhwa threw his sword to the ground.

This damned bastard.

He would kill him with this single move.

He drew up every shred of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth that he could raise.

Kwarrrrrrung—!!

Cold erupted from his body like a storm.

The air around him froze in an instant.

The ground froze, and the trees froze.

The ruins of the collapsed Elder Council froze, and the corpses lying on the ground froze as well.

Centered on him, cold exploded outward.

For dozens of zhang.

Unhwi quickly swung his sword.

Heavenly Snow Flying Decision Sword.

Shiiiiik—!

Countless streams of sword force scattered like a snowstorm.

Seol Cheonhwa swept his hand, and the cold he had drawn up froze all of Unhwi’s attack in midair.

At once Unhwi kicked off the ground.

Shadowless Step.

In an instant, he arrived before Seol Cheonhwa.

He thrust his sword.

Straight at Seol Cheonhwa’s heart.

But then—thunk.

Seol Cheonhwa caught the blade in his hand. In that instant, Unhwi made his choice.

He would abandon the sword.

He released it at once and lowered his head.

Paaang—!!

Seol Cheonhwa’s fist smashed through the place where Unhwi’s head had been only a moment earlier.

In that instant Unhwi’s eyes flashed.

He straightened his left arm and thrust it forward.

Tathagata Palm Wind.

Paaaang—!!

Blood burst once more from Seol Cheonhwa’s abdomen. He took one step back, but only one. He brought down the Trueflame Heavenly-Spirit Sword he had taken from Unhwi.

Unhwi threw himself sideways.

The sword split the ground. Kwaang—the earth exploded.

Unhwi rolled and came back to his feet.

Seol Cheonhwa, now gripping the sword properly, swung again.

Horizontally.

Unhwi retreated.

The blade passed right before his nose.

As Seol Cheonhwa drew the sword back, he threw a punch.

Left hand.

Unhwi turned his head to the right.

The fist brushed past his ear.

Then came the right fist immediately after.

Unhwi bent his upper body backward.

The fist grazed beneath his jaw.

Seol Cheonhwa drove up his knee.

Toward Unhwi’s abdomen.

Unhwi pressed down on the knee with both hands.

Kwadjik—!

Impact.

But he blocked it.

Seol Cheonhwa brought down the sword.

From above.

Unhwi kicked off the ground and slammed his shoulder into Seol Cheonhwa.

Kwaang—!

Seol Cheonhwa was shoved backward. When he lifted his head, Unhwi’s foot was already flying at him. He twisted his body to the side.

Pang—!!

It pierced empty air.

He was about to throw a punch at once when, from his blind side, Unhwi’s elbow came flying in.

Peok—!

It smashed into Seol Cheonhwa’s jaw.

“Kugh!”

Seol Cheonhwa’s head snapped back. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth wrapped around his body had not been broken through, but Unhwi’s internal force transmitted through the strike had battered his insides, so the blow had not lacked impact.

Seol Cheonhwa swung the sword by reflex.

And not just once.

Head, abdomen, then head again.

Unhwi dodged all three sword strikes.

Tilting his head, lowering his upper body,

and stepping backward.

The distance widened.

Seol Cheonhwa hurled the sword. Unhwi did not take it. Instead he kicked off the ground and spun his body.

In an instant, Unhwi’s hair turned white. Energy gathered into his fist.

Inner Snow Heart-Shattering Fist.

Seol Cheonhwa raised both arms to block.

Kwaaaaang—!!

Cracks spread through the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and his body was shoved back three or four zhang.

Cough.

He spat blood. He lifted his head. Unhwi was gone.

Seol Cheonhwa made his decision. He rolled on the spot without hesitation.

A filthy move, the kind used by lesser men.

But survival mattered more.

Unhwi’s kick pierced empty air.

Seol Cheonhwa’s eyes were shaking madly.

Something was wrong now.

Why.

Why was he the one being pushed back?

He did not know.

In that brief span, Unhwi was reading everything about him.

The movement of his shoulders.

The movement of his shoulders.

The movement of his legs.

The swelling of his muscles.

Even the direction of his pupils.

And in that state, Unhwi drove all of his Void-Origin Energy into his flesh.

Radiance poured from his white hair.

Down along his body.

Into his arms.

Into his legs.

It wrapped around his entire frame.

Unhwi kicked off the ground.

Heavenly Ascendant Flowing Shadow Step.

Kwaang—!

The ground exploded.

Unhwi’s body vanished.

Seol Cheonhwa’s eyes widened.

Where—!

He could not find him.

He was too fast.

The next moment.

Unhwi was right before his eyes.

Seol Cheonhwa swung his sword, but Unhwi’s hand was faster.

His right palm.

Immortal Vajra Palm.

The palm came flying toward Seol Cheonhwa’s chest.

Seol Cheonhwa converted all of his spiritual energy of heaven and earth into protective force.

His body grew another layer thicker.

I can block this!

Unhwi’s ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) palm struck the protective force.

Kwaaaaaaaaang—!!

The protective force shattered into pieces.

“Kuhuk—!”

Seol Cheonhwa’s body was blasted backward.

He scrambled up at once, but blood poured from his mouth.

He lifted his head.

Unhwi was right in front of him.

Seol Cheonhwa’s eyes shook.

When... had he gotten there?

Slowly, Unhwi brought both hands together.

It was a formal palm press.

At that moment—

Srrr—

The white radiance turned golden.

Gooseflesh rose all over Seol Cheonhwa’s body.

...A Buddha...? No, what is that...?

The highest hand technique left behind by Bodhidharma.

Eighteen Arhat Hands.

In a quiet voice, Unhwi recited,

“First Hand. Demon-Subduing Hand.”

Unhwi’s right hand opened.

Golden light exploded.

Paaang—!

It slammed into Seol Cheonhwa’s shoulder.

Kwadjik—!

“Kuhk...”

Bone shattered.

“Second Hand. Tiger-Subduing Hand.”

Left hand.

Ribs.

Ppeok—!

His rib bones were crushed.

“Kheok...”

“Third Hand. Dragon-Subduing Hand.”

A right-handed palm strike.

Chest.

Paaaang—!

Seol Cheonhwa’s body was driven into the ground and bounced back up.

“Fourth Hand. Vajra Hand.”

A left-handed palm strike.

Abdomen.

Peok—!

Cough.

Seol Cheonhwa vomited blood and desperately tried to rise to his feet.

“Fifth Hand. Prajna Hand.”

Along with Unhwi’s low voice, a right-handed palm strike came flying toward him.

Its target was his jaw.

Kwaang—!

Seol Cheonhwa’s head snapped backward.

His teeth shattered and blood sprayed.

“Sixth Hand. Bodhi Hand.”

A left-handed palm strike.

Above the heart.

Paaaang—!

Seol Cheonhwa spat blood.

Cough!

“Seventh Hand. Nirvana Hand.”

Unhwi raised both hands.

Golden light pierced the sky.

Kwaaa—!

Then he brought them down.

Both hands.

At the same time.

Toward Seol Cheonhwa’s chest.

Paaaaaaaaang—!

Kwaaaaaaang—!!

The ground exploded.

Centered on Seol Cheonhwa’s body.

For dozens of zhang.

The earth caved in.

Cracks spread out in every direction.

Dust shot upward.

Silence.

Unhwi slowly withdrew his hands.

Srrrk—

The golden light vanished.

The white radiance vanished as well.

His ash-gray hair appeared once more.

He withdrew the Void-Origin Energy.

“Haa...”

He drew in a deep breath and let it out.

His whole body throbbed.

Eighteen Arhat Hands.

He had only unfolded it through the Seventh Hand, yet the burden had still been heavy.

The dust settled.

Seol Cheonhwa was lying there.

His entire body was soaked in blood.

Bones shattered, flesh crushed, breath hanging by a thread.

That was right.

He was still alive.

The vitality of the Unity of Heaven and Man.

But he could no longer fight.

Unhwi slowly walked to the rear, picked up the Trueflame Heavenly-Spirit Sword, and approached Seol Cheonhwa.

Without a word, he raised the sword.

Seol Cheonhwa muttered,

“Wait... a moment... I was wrong...”

Unhwi did not listen any further.

He drove the sword down toward Seol Cheonhwa’s forehead.

Puuk—!