Chapter 110

He wanted to do what to him? The feeling of surprise and confusion was so great that he didn't even feel angry. Was he dreaming? Was this a hallucination caused by Dang Ran-yeong's poison, or a trick of the formation? Cheong-ra unconsciously stuttered slightly.

"Wh-what..."

"I felt I didn't want to hold back anymore, and I simply put that thought into action. Isn't it the right thing to do to keep precious things safe before they get damaged or lost?"

The other's tone was so confident that it momentarily sounded logical, leaving Cheong-ra at a loss for words. Taking another step back, Cheong-ra said,

"What about my advancing to the finals and destroying the Blood Cult's brainwashing formation?"

"It would be much easier if Beauty did that. But it doesn't matter if you don't. I said it from the beginning, didn't I? That it would work out somehow even if it wasn't Beauty."

He had said such things, but... Even so, to Cheong-ra, it seemed like Dang Ran-yeong was just toying with him basely.

The other had always been an inscrutable man. Moreover, considering how he had treated him until now, today's events seemed all the more out of place and sudden. In fact, there had been some concerning aspects all along, but...

Cheong-ra, who had seen what kind of people the Blood Cult were at the Hengshan Sect, spoke seriously to Dang Ran-yeong.

"Young Master Dang. Stop joking. What's the real reason for doing this?"

At Cheong-ra's serious tone, the expression gradually disappeared from Dang Ran-yeong's face as well. He just stared at Cheong-ra without saying anything. Only his greenish eyes were rippling greatly on his expressionless face. Only the deep emotion welling up in his pupils was quite dynamic. Soon, his handsome lips slowly curved.

"Alright... If you really want to know why I'm doing this, why don't you try defeating me once?"

What an absurd condition to defeat Dang Ran-yeong once. Thinking that he was still unwilling to tell him the truth, Cheong-ra's face contorted, but he froze at the next words.

"Is that too harsh a condition? Then... how about the condition of not being violated by me by the end of tonight?"

"Wh-what."

Cheong-ra found himself stuttering unconsciously. The color slowly drained from his face, turning pale.

"Is even the night too long? Then I'll let you go if you can protect your chastity from me within half an hour."

"What on earth are you saying? Suddenly telling me to protect my chastity... Are you serious, Young Master Dang?"

Cheong-ra desperately tried to read Dang Ran-yeong's expression. But neither his tone nor his face seemed to be joking or playing around.

"But if you can't, you'll have to spread your legs for me whenever I feel like it from now on."

The corners of his mouth, which had been forming a gentle curve, now stretched into a wide grin. With eyes that truly seemed to have longed for this moment, Dang Ran-yeong smiled brightly like never before. His intense gaze, as if piercing through Cheong-ra, was the very embodiment of the desire to violate him from the moment they first met until now.

And then he started counting down.

"Ten."

His white teeth gleamed sharply between his parted lips. His lips slowly closed and opened again to recite the next number.

"Nine."

"W-wait...!"

Flustered, Cheong-ra took a few steps back. His eyes wavered, still unable to discern whether the other's words were sincere or a joke.

The reason he couldn't get angry or question was because he knew well that the other had never spoken empty words. And at the same time, because the numbers were still counting down even at that moment. It was obvious what would happen when all those numbers ran out, without needing to be told.

"Eight, seven..."

Even though he thought it might just be the base behavior he had been doing all along, or that he was doing this to focus better like when he had taken him to the underground prison where the Blood Cult members were confined, Cheong-ra ultimately couldn't withstand the pressure and turned his back to flee. As he heard the number "six," he slammed the door shut and ran into the inner chamber.

"Damn it!"

What escaped his flustered mouth was a curse he rarely uttered in normal times. He had fled without thinking, but where could he run to in this place? The structure of this villa was extremely simple, and the garden was the same. Moreover, being trapped in a formation from the start meant he was no different from moving on Dang Ran-yeong's palm.

Biting his lip, Cheong-ra first drew his sword. His weapon was always his true friend that would never betray him. He waited, holding his breath. And he counted the numbers in his mind.

Six, five, four, three... two, and one.

He should have finished counting to ten. Or had he counted too quickly? Not even the slightest presence could be felt in the silence. Only the sound of Cheong-ra's heart pounding loudly echoed in his ears...

It was at that moment. The flickering lamp suddenly went out. As Cheong-ra's gaze reflexively turned towards it, there was a faint wind brushing past his ear. He immediately swung his sword and turned, but this too was the other's trick.

"I'm over here, Beauty."

At the voice right next to his ear, his hair stood on end and goosebumps spread all over his body. As a martial artist, he couldn't help but be startled by the other approaching from such a close distance where he could take his life at any moment. When he quickly turned his head, green-tinged eyes were staring directly at Cheong-ra before curving into crescents.

The attack followed immediately. Perhaps because they were inside a building, or maybe with the intention of going easy on Cheong-ra, he didn't draw his whip or throw hidden weapons. Instead, his right leg shot out towards Cheong-ra's abdomen. Although Cheong-ra reflexively drew his sword, he initially didn't attack and retreated to avoid it. This was because he hesitated to directly confront Dang Ran-yeong.

As if reading that hesitation, the other smiled crookedly. Cheong-ra's nerves instantly stood on end as a fist came straight for his face. He hurriedly twisted his body to the side to avoid it, and the powerful strike barely grazed his cheek. As if to say, don't even think about just running away.

"Dang Ran-yeong!"

He cried out in surprise, but the other only let out a low laugh. As a hand reached for his face again, Cheong-ra could no longer just keep dodging. He couldn't let his face get hit, so he had no choice but to attack the other.

"That's right, that's it."

Easily avoiding the sharp sword tip that drew a large arc aiming to cut his shoulder, Dang Ran-yeong grinned widely.

"Resist with all your might... That's what makes it fun, isn't it?"

In a battle with weapons, the length of the weapon was very important. No matter how skilled one was, if they were barehanded, they would naturally be cautious against an opponent with a sword. However, Cheong-ra realized anew that this only applied when the difference in skill was relatively small.

Dang Ran-yeong's hand, slowly curling into a fist and then lightly unfolding, was beautiful enough to be called delicate jade fingers. But the grappling techniques of the Tang Clan of Sichuan that handled hidden weapons were truly unparalleled! His seemingly ordinary fingertips could transform into something more powerful than any weapon.

Dang Ran-yeong had no intention of killing Cheong-ra, so there was no poison imbued in them. However, these firm hands that had mastered the Tang Clan's Three Yang Fingers were vicious weapons that could take anyone's life at any time.

Dang Ran-yeong seemed to leisurely circle around Cheong-ra, but then in an instant, he would thrust his sharp fingertips to dig into acupoints. Avoiding an attack aimed at the Crooked Pond acupoint near his elbow, Cheong-ra swung his sword quickly, making two horizontal slashes towards Dang Ran-yeong's legs.

Against an ordinary opponent, important muscles would have already been severed, leaving them rolling on the ground. It was that much of an all-out attack, but the other avoided it effortlessly while simultaneously tearing at Cheong-ra's sleeve.

"...Ugh!"

Cheong-ra let out a frustrated groan. His face turned pale as he saw his torn sleeve. The finger strength and movement had been so strong and quick that only the part gripped by the fingers had been skillfully torn. Those hands could easily tear flesh if they caught hold.

However, he couldn't just stand still in shock. As if retaliating against Cheong-ra's attack, Dang Ran-yeong now aimed for his legs.

This time, fingers like eagle talons instantly tore at the fabric of his lower garment. With a long ripping sound, the flesh of his thigh was fully exposed through the torn cloth. Where Dang Ran-yeong's fingers had grazed, red marks were left behind.

Cheong-ra's sword moved as quickly as a comb's teeth, aiming for the other's openings. However, when he thought he saw an opportunity and approached, it was he who ended up exposing an opening instead.

Even with a sword in hand, he could never gain the upper hand. Moreover, with attacks coming at his face that he could barely avoid at any moment, Cheong-ra's heart gradually grew anxious. Although there was no killing intent in the other's actions, everything was a real threat.

Trying to regulate his breathing, Cheong-ra continued to look for opportunities. Even amidst the chaotic exchange of sword and hand, he managed to attempt a proper attack.

The fourth form of the Rain Path Form Five Swords, the Spring Dream Encircling Rain Sword.

Sword energy rippled on Cheong-ra's blade. As the sword tip that had been raised high suddenly dropped down, the blade seemed to multiply into dozens, appearing as if a curtain of swords was pouring down. But it wasn't a sword curtain. It was a different form of illusion sword from the Heavenly Cloud Twelve Illusion Sword he had used before.

This time, a slightly surprised look appeared on Dang Ran-yeong's face.