Chapter 76: Grow, Starfall Heart Cultivation Method

A round mysterious medicine rolled out from the tip of Tang Yeo-hye’s finger.

Murong Hui, wearing an expression that said he was giving it reluctantly, quickly took it and gulped it down.

“No matter how I look at it, it's a waste to give this to him.”

“The more energy the better, just in case. Noona.”

That bastard irked me too, but this was the heart of a battlefield—time for practical judgment.

And hadn’t I promised someone I’d bring him back alive, no matter what?

“Ahem.”

Noticing our lukewarm reactions, Murong Hui cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

“I shall repay the cost of this mysterious medicine fivefold through my clan. Lady Tang Yeo-h—…”

“Sssup.”

“…Yeohyeop.”

Just because he got a pill, he tried to get friendly—and got cut down immediately.

If he wanted to get close to her, he needed to share life-or-death battles at least three or four times, like I had.

Ah, though considering how disliked he was, that might be impossible for him.

“And you too…”

Murong Hui, turning his eyes to me after Tang Yeo-hye, cautiously opened his mouth.

“And I too?”

He fumbled as if unsure what he wanted to say—unlike his usual brash and thoughtless self.

“Thank you… Ahem.”

And with that, he quickly turned his head away to avoid my gaze.

Guess it felt awfully awkward for him to say that after all the friction between us.

“Sheesh.”

I barely held back a laugh that slipped out.

Who would've thought I'd see that side of him?

And then—I sensed a strange stirring in my chest.

‘Displeased!’

The divine energy of the Starfall Heart Cultivation Method swelled in my chest, and Heaven-Slaying Star flared up like it was screaming.

That bastard had never looked so utterly disgusted before.

Now that I'd weakened it this much, I wouldn’t have to worry about my lifespan for a while.

As I sighed in relief and nodded, suddenly, a thunderous explosion erupted in the distance.

KWA-AAANG—!

It was a deafening blast that tore at the ears. Everyone flinched and turned toward the direction the sound had come from—the main stronghold.

KWA-RRRUNG!

The aftershock of the blast traveled through the ground and up into our feet.

“Wow, sounds like a Thunderburst Bomb just went off.”

Ilhong, guessing the type of explosive, gulped and spoke quietly.

One side of a roof had completely collapsed—revealing the state of a grand building.

“Sigh, I guess we’d better steer clear of Black Spot for a while.”

Even if the royal court normally ignored murim matters, if things blew up this much, they’d dispatch a local official for investigation.

Tang Yeo-hye scratched her temple, visibly troubled.

“Despicable Blood Cult bastards... they must’ve spent the past thirty years grinding their teeth for this moment.”

Murong Hui, who had heard much from his father about them, was also grinding his teeth as he watched the explosion.

“Tang Yeo-hye noona.”

“Hm, what?”

“Where did Jo Harang head off to earlier?”

“She split off in the opposite direction from me, so probably toward the main stronghold…”

KWA-AANG—!

Another blast flared from the stronghold.

Thick flames and smoke surged ceaselessly in the distance.

Even a top-tier martial artist wouldn’t survive an explosion like that at close range.

And it wasn’t even a physical slash—it was an engulfing wave of fire and shock.

“Damn it, of all times…”

Even someone like Jamiseong could be snuffed out in vain.

The thought made worry surge up in me.

‘@#@#!’

The moment I resolved to go save Jamiseong, Heaven-Slaying Star thrashed violently with crimson energy as if I’d lost my mind.

But what could I do? We'd already grown close.

And it wasn’t like I needed to consider that bastard’s feelings.

“Noona, let’s go save her.”

I pointed toward the stronghold—basically the epicenter of the battlefield—and spoke.

Tang Yeo-hye glanced at me with slightly narrowed eyes.

“You really look out for that Jo Harang girl, huh?”

Seriously, what was she getting at?

“If you were over there, I’d be saying the same thing.”

I replied in a calm tone, without changing expression.

Hadn’t we crossed death's door together multiple times? I only chased extreme gains when dealing with complete strangers.

“Oh? Hmm, is that so.”

She must’ve thought I was calling her ‘noona’ just to play nice. Caught off guard by my answer, Tang Yeo-hye scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“So that’s what it was…”

She didn’t seem upset.

In fact, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

“From now on, I won’t poison your food.”

“Please do.”

She said it like she was doing me a favor. Absolutely absurd.

Talk about a twisted way of showing concern. No wonder people avoided her.

“Gongja.”

“Daejaang…”

Meanwhile, Neungsam and Ilhong, who had been eavesdropping, were throwing weird glances our way.

Even Murong Hui gave me a look like, ‘What’s going on here?’

“Let’s just get going.”

What were they all thinking?

I quickly made my way toward the stronghold, where Jo Harang would be waiting.

*

Fires flickered everywhere, acrid smoke thick in the air.

Amidst the chaos left by the explosion, a woman was wielding a massive blade.

“Moon-Cleaving Dragon Slash!”

A crisp technique name. A heavy chunk of steel tore through the air. In the reddish haze, a flash of white steel carved an arc.

“Kraaaagh!”

Blood Cult members screamed as they were swept away, their numbers useless against the brute power that shattered their weapons.

The sound of flesh being ripped and bones crushed filled the battlefield. Crimson blood spattered through the smoky air.

Blood Cult forces surged like a tide, but Small Scalpel Blade Jo Harang didn’t yield a single step.

“I’m fine… Just run. At this rate, we’ll both die.”

Behind her, middle-aged Murong Cheon, catching his breath, looked at the oncoming enemies and muttered like it was the end.

But she firmly shook her head.

“That is unthinkable! You want me to abandon a great hero to save myself?!”

Her eyes lit up with a fierce blue glow as she faced the enemies even more fiercely.

I once thought she was just an obstacle to the second son’s ambitions. But now, I saw a woman brimming with chivalrous spirit.

“The Thunder Sword! The Blood Cult’s nemesis, Thunder Sword, is hiding behind that wench!”

“Do whatever it takes—kill her no matter what!”

“For the Cult Leader’s vengeance! Let their blood wash away the cult’s grudge!”

Blood Cult members, blood boiling over, shouted for their grand mission.

They were like fanatical cultists.

“Filthy maggots…”

They must’ve spotted something suspicious near the stronghold and closed in—then suddenly launched a surprise attack.

Blood Cult bastards unleashed Thunderburst Bombs, Poison Pellets, and twisted evil arts nonstop as they closed in using a wheel formation.

At first, Murong Cheon had managed to fend them off with flashes of blue Sword Flux, but as they pressed in with suicidal determination, his space to maneuver shrank—then they pulled a stunt no one would believe with a Thunderburst Bomb.

To catch just him, they sacrificed dozens of their own in a suicide attack.

A massive explosion went off nearby, and only by surrounding his body in Enhanced Qi did Murong Cheon barely survive.

“I should’ve wiped your roots out back then instead of chasing prestige, instead of vying for a seat beside Celestial Sword…”

Blinded by the Murim Alliance Leader seat and fame, failing to annihilate the lowest ranks had been a grave mistake.

But what use was regret now? Murong Cheon steadied his breathing and once again reached for the hilt of his sword.

A middle-aged man rising to his feet, using his long cherished blade as a cane.

His meridians twisted and internal injuries severe, even when circulating the clan’s divine arts, Sword Flux refused to form.

Yet despite that, if he was going to die anyway, Murong Cheon resolved to take down at least one more enemy before falling.

“Thunder Sword Murong Cheon! You dare walk out on your own feet, unafraid!”

“We’ll cut off your head and offer it to the Cult Leader’s memorial!”

Standing beside Jo Harang, he once again drew his blade and it gleamed sharply.

Decades ago, the devastating might of the Murong Clan had slaughtered the Blood Cult. Sword Flash of Heaven and Earth shot forward like thunder and lightning.

“Blood Cult dogs! I’ll butcher you all again like last time!”

Chwaaaak!

“Gahk!”

“Grrrk!”

A single slash cleaved through the chests of five charging enemies. Crimson blood gushed from the follow-up slashes of the Swift Sword.

Swaeek!

When blood splattered before them, a Blood Cult member condensed the blood into a sharp blade-like form and swung it.

But Murong Cheon, as if accustomed to such tricks, tilted his head to dodge, while Jo Harang deflected it like a shield with her great blade.

“Falling Moon Dragon Slash!”

A swift counterattack. Her massive blade flashed like moonlight and smashed down onto the ground.

The cultist’s sword, raised in defense, shattered in two, and he collapsed without a sound.

“What are you doing?! Our mortal enemy is right before us—!”

Seeing their combined force made breaking through difficult, a middle-aged figure—clearly a high-ranking cultist—shouted.

In response, the cultists’ eyes glowed blood-red as they reignited their fervor.

“For blood vengeance!”

“For the blood debt of that day!”

Whooom! Slice-crack!

Even as three of them were cleaved in half by brutal blade techniques, the cultists did not retreat.

Willing to give their lives, they pressed in with suicidal fervor, limbs flying, continuing to tighten the encirclement.

And behind them—something was stirring. Murong Cheon narrowed his eyes, recognizing the flow of the battle.

Chiiiiik!

That giant iron orb returned once more to the battlefield.

Its fuse sparked with yellow flames as it burned into the Thunderburst Bomb.

“Miss! Get down—!”

Summoning every last ounce of strength, Murong Cheon swung his sword to open a path.

But with enemies surrounding them, where could they even escape? Jo Harang was trapped within their ranks, unable to move.

“For the Cult’s glorious martyrdom!”

“Uoooooh!”

Blood Cultists, consumed by madness, prepared for noble sacrifice. Something flickered in the corner of his vision.

“Thunder Sword! This is how Blood Cult repays its blood debt!”

The massive iron bomb traced an arc as it flew toward them. Judging by its size, it was packed with a massive dose of Black Powder.

Murong Cheon realized he couldn't dodge it. He clenched his eyes shut.

Tuuung—!

Yet, even after landing, the Thunderburst Bomb didn’t explode.

The hefty lump of steel rolled uselessly along the ground as everyone stared, dumbfounded.

“Wh-what…?!”

The middle-aged man who had thrown it looked puzzled—until he finally noticed something vital was missing from the bomb.

“Looking for this, maybe?”

A young man suddenly appeared behind them like a ghost.

Decently handsome, the young man grinned as he held up the extracted fuse—what should’ve delivered the spark into the black powder.

“…You little…!”

*

“Evil Dog Blocks the Road!”

If a vicious dog blocks your path, what do you do? Beat it bloody and move forward—that’s all there is to it.

Puh-puh-puk!

Smashing incoming fists and knocking away slashing blades, I crushed the heads and chests of enemies with the Dog-Beating Staff.

With all the burning energy of the Starfall Heart Cultivation Method channeled into it, the Hell-Revenge Staff I now wielded could split mountains.

“Out of the way, you motherf—!”

Meanwhile, Tang Yeo-hye tore through the battlefield, spraying blood with her brutal claw techniques that ripped and shredded flesh.

We charged in from behind the enemy in a wedge formation, scattering them in chaos as we pushed forward.

Breaking through the stunned cultists, the interior scene finally came into view.

“…Wait, why are you here?”

Murong Cheon’s surprised voice, as if he'd just seen his son say something absurd, upon seeing my face.

“That’s my line, actually.”

I’d come running after sensing a surge of killing intent and Jamiseong’s unique energy. So why was that guy here?

I shook my head and checked their conditions.

Jo Harang had minor injuries but seemed to still have fight left. Murong Cheon, however—his dignified beard had been singed off, and he looked awful.

And now, the Blood Cultists were surging at us again, dead set on killing us all.

“Let’s call it even, Clan Head Murong Cheon.”

“…?”

He looked at me in confusion.

“You know, for calling you a greedy old man last time. Let’s call it even now that I’m helping you.”

“…Is that important right now?”

He looked like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

But of course, it was important. If this guy held a grudge and sabotaged my troubleshooter business later? As a minor martial artist, I couldn’t afford that.

And besides—payment terms should always be settled before the job, not after.

“Hah, judging by your face, I see you’re serious… Fine. If you help me, I’ll consider that matter settled.”

“Oh, and I also saved your son, by the way. Don’t think you’re getting off cheap, alright?”

He glanced at the back of Murong Hui, still battling the Blood Cult, then nodded.

“You’re seriously insane, boss.”

Even in this situation, Ilhong muttered in disbelief at how I wrapped up that deal.

“Anyway, hand it over.”

Back when we broke through the encirclement, I told Ilhong to grab something. Now, I held out my hand.

She thudded a massive iron bomb from her robes onto the ground.

“Here’s the Black Powder and the fuse too.”

She pulled out two cylindrical hidden weapons, extracted the fuse soaked in black powder, and handed it to me.

She kept the other—likely intending to use it as a weapon.

“The hell?! When did you end up with two of those?!”

Tang Yeo-hye, who’d been flinging poison needles from her sleeves, stared in disbelief.

Chiiiik—!

I lit the fuse with a firestarter, and the spark once again crawled into the Thunderburst Bomb.

“Time for you bastards to get a taste.”

Summoning all my strength, I hurled the massive iron lump right into the middle of the incoming enemies.

KWA-AAANG—!

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