Failed Possession Chapter-43

**Ch-43**

—

“W-what…?”

Until just now, that guy had clearly been only **3rd Rank**.
He had wrapped his body in *Qi-flame*, but he still hadn’t been able to change the nature of his internal energy.

It had been sturdy enough to momentarily catch his aura, but there had been no other transformation.

But now it was different.

Even if he was old and his eyesight had dimmed, he wasn’t so senile that he couldn’t distinguish *Qi-flame** from **true aura (ganqqi)**.

What wrapped the man’s fist now was unmistakably **aura**.

“H-how…?”

Even **Haryeong** blurted out in shock.

But in this moment, the one most stunned of all was **Blood Fiend Ghost** himself.

Breaking through a wall of realm in the midst of a desperate life-or-death battle?
That was possible. He himself had experienced such a thing in the past. That was exactly why martial artists fought—to seize those moments of enlightenment.

The bastard fought far too well to be merely 3rd Rank. His internal energy was deep, and he understood martial arts thoroughly. Judging by how he had handled aura with mere Qi-flame, he clearly controlled his energy skillfully and must have learned a special cultivation method.

In other words—
he had everything required to break through the wall of rank. Given even the smallest trigger, reaching **4th Rank** would have been natural.

But jumping straight from **3rd Rank to 5th Rank**?

That was impossible.

Not merely rare—**impossible**.

Ranks were climbed step by step. One had to accumulate experience within each stage to advance. Even a heaven-sent genius couldn’t skip tiers.

‘No… he’s 4th Rank.’

A **5th Rank** martial artist had only just entered the realm of aura. Freely controlling it required extensive training. Maintaining protective aura naturally was impossible at first, and coating weapons with aura demanded long practice.

But martial artists were different.

Compared to channeling energy into an external weapon, covering one’s **own body** with aura was far easier.

In advanced aura techniques like **protective aura**, martial artists actually had the advantage. With this brat’s talent, it wouldn’t be strange if he could deploy it the moment he hit 5th Rank.

Yet what covered his body was still blazing Qi-flame.

‘He formed aura at 4th Rank…?’

Only his two fists were coated.

Which meant—

he had forcibly dragged out a level that should be unreachable at his current stage.

There was only one kind of martial art capable of that.

“You… what divine art did you learn…?”

A **Divine Art (Shingong)** was called divine precisely because it couldn’t be compared to ordinary martial arts.
If what he learned surpassed even peak-level techniques and entered the realm of divine martial arts, then forming aura at 4th Rank would make sense.

“You… I won’t kill you.”

Blood Fiend Ghost’s voice trembled.

“I’ll keep you alive and make you vomit out every last secret of that divine art!”

The Demonic Cult housed countless martial and demonic arts. Those qualified could freely enter the martial archives and learn techniques suited to their level.

Yet even in those vast archives, **Divine Arts did not exist**.

Not just the Demonic Cult—any sect’s divine arts were reserved for only a chosen few.

Any martial artist would covet one.

Blood Fiend Ghost was no different.

He was convinced this encounter was the blessing of the Evil God itself.
A young prey brimming with talent—and a Divine Art!

If he nourished himself and mastered it, he could surely purge the aftereffects of his qi deviation and aging and climb back to **7th Rank**.

“KAAAH!”

His roar sounded distant to **Yuri**.

Divine arts or whatever—none of that mattered.

His focus was entirely on his fist.

‘So this… is aura…’

It was hot.

It felt like flames wrapping his fist.

It wasn’t actually heavy, yet Yuri thought—

**it’s heavy.**

Because instinctively, he knew this fist could shatter countless things.

The blazing aura wouldn’t ignite anywhere else. Only his fists could produce it. If he had advanced as a swordsman, he would’ve manifested sword aura instead.

He had formed aura instinctively and thrown a punch, but he too had been startled by his own level.

But he didn’t hesitate anymore.

Even if only his fists—
that was enough to replace the injured Haryeong and strike **Blood Fiend Ghost** directly.

Yuri slowly turned his head.

He saw **Elena**, staring at him with wide, shocked eyes.

[Run.]

He didn’t know how to use voice transmission, so he merely mouthed the words. He wasn’t sure she understood, but he saw her pupils tremble.

**Purple Lightning Flash Art.**

A peak technique he had received from Orca.
He had memorized it, but never trained or used it. Before 4th Rank, when attribute conversion became possible, it couldn’t be properly executed.

—Crackle.

Purple lightning mixed into the Qi-flame covering his body.

Though untrained, it wasn’t hard for Yuri.

This was **qi manipulation**.
Qi arts demanded high mana affinity and comprehension.

Both were things Yuri possessed.

Bang!

His body shot forward.

Aura alone had startled Blood Fiend Ghost. Now electricity layered on top twisted his expression.

“RAAAH!”

Palm and fist collided.

Unlike before, Yuri’s punch now **clearly pushed the old man’s hand back**.

Boom, boom, boom!

Blows crashed repeatedly.

Their realms barely matched. Each clash rattled his organs. Yuri bit down through the pain.

‘Can’t last long.’

He judged coldly.

Forcing aura at 4th Rank was a burden even to him. Despite months of cultivation and the Azure Heaven Pill, aura consumed far too much internal energy. If the fight dragged on, his dantian would run dry.

Blood Fiend Ghost was old, suffering qi deviation, still recovering.

‘Between me and the old man… whose internal energy is deeper?’

He didn’t know.

But a prolonged fight was bad for both.

So Yuri chose **a quick finish**.

Lightning crackled through his meridians.

Blazing Evil-Quelling Heavenly Principle Technique mixed with Purple Lightning Flash Art.

Lightning-attribute arts were all about **absolute speed**.

Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist pursued speed, flow, and change. Of its four forms, the fastest—

**Thundercloud Dragon Fang.**

He twisted his torso, right fist drawn to his chest.

Lightning concentrated into his aura.

Then—

he struck.

Aura spread like clouds, distorting vision, and from its center a dragon-fang thrust pierced straight through Blood Fiend Ghost’s palm force.

BOOM!

The old man was blasted backward.

Fast. Heavy. And precise.

‘Where the hell did a monster like this come from…?’

Blood Fiend Ghost didn’t consider defeat—but exhaustion worried him.

The mage couldn’t fight anymore.

But the assassin was different.

She was stabilizing her injuries, preparing to rejoin. If that happened, things would worsen.

He had to cripple this brat first.

He poured aura into his right hand.

A giant palm blotted out Yuri’s vision.

Blocking or deflecting was impossible.

Countering was impossible.

Yuri made his decision instantly.

He sent energy into both legs.

Crackle!

With lightning bursting—

**he vanished from where he stood.**

He combined **Storm-wind Steps** with lightning on the spot.

Merging two completely different techniques without practice should’ve been impossible.

But Yuri did it purely by instinct and sensation.

‘Position-shifting phantom?’

The afterimage that failed to keep up with his body wavered and faded. A chill ran down Blood Fiend Ghost’s spine, and he spun in place. Boom! The aura he released in a rotating burst swept across the surroundings.

“You rat bastard!”

Blood Fiend Ghost roared and thrust out his hand. Beyond the fluttering remnants of qi, Yuri’s faint afterimage flickered. The vanishing shadows blurred his vision.

“Damn it!”

Cursing his aged eyes, Blood Fiend Ghost lashed out. The brat darted around wildly—then suddenly lunged straight at him.

Bang! Palm and fist collided. The instant Yuri’s fist withdrew, his leg moved. Lightning gathered through **Purple Lightning Flash Art** traced a blazing arc. Crack! The instep of his kick struck Blood Fiend Ghost’s protective aura.

He couldn’t concentrate aura into his leg. That kick alone couldn’t pierce the protective aura.

It didn’t matter.

He had never intended to kill with his foot.

Yuri spun and continued kicking.

The flurry of kicks was light—but fast. Each strike latched onto the protective aura, and off-beat punches slammed in, shaking it violently.

But it wasn’t lethal.

He had drawn aura through the **Evil-Quelling Heavenly Principle Technique**, mixed **Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist** and **Storm-wind Steps** with **Purple Lightning Flash Art**. With that combination, he could overwhelm someone of equal rank and even fight a 5th Rank martial artist—

—but it wasn’t enough to kill Blood Fiend Ghost.

He needed a decisive strike.
A technique capable of killing this old demon. Something stronger than Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist—something that could shatter that sturdy protective aura and end him.

There was still something Yuri hadn’t used.

Like Evil-Quelling Heavenly Principle Technique, it was something he had learned from **Lorellia**.

‘Blazing Burst Fist.’

He had never displayed it before Bakered, Elena, or Haryeong. Like Evil-Quelling Heavenly Principle Technique, it was not a martial art meant to be shown openly.

But he had practiced it steadily.

This would be his first time using it in real combat—but lack of experience no longer mattered. Everything he had used against Blood Fiend Ghost today had been a first.

‘Will it work?’

He knew the power of Blazing Burst Fist—but whether it could kill Blood Fiend Ghost, he wasn’t certain.

Still, there was no other option.

‘One strike.’

He couldn’t gauge the exact power or energy consumption. But he was sure he couldn’t use it twice in succession.

So it had to end in one blow.

Until now, Yuri’s attacks had never landed on a vital point. When he had been 3rd Rank, Blood Fiend Ghost hadn’t bothered defending carefully—but once Yuri’s fists carried aura, he had blocked them meticulously.

Then there was only one answer.

Close in.

Sweep aside those blood-red palms and open his chest.

If this became a battle of attrition, defeat was certain. Even if his body turned into rags—if Blood Fiend Ghost died, Yuri would win.

No new resolve was needed. The moment he stepped forward, all necessary resolve had already been made.

So all Yuri did—

was step.

Crackle! Lightning qi accelerated his body.

‘You want a brawl?’

Until now, the brat had fought with fluid footwork and fists, mixing in the principle of speed. A frontal power struggle would obviously be disadvantageous—so the tactic had been correct.

But in the end, it came down to speed and timing.

The aura he had forcibly drawn beyond his rank must be draining him heavily.

Blood Fiend Ghost was also not overflowing with energy—but he wasn’t as pressed as Yuri.

Meanwhile, the assassin was stabilizing her internal injuries. If she rejoined, things would become troublesome.

A brawl suited Blood Fiend Ghost just fine.

At the same time, irritation flared.

‘Brat.’

Arrogant beyond measure.

Did this old body look so trivial to him?

He wanted to smash the brat’s head outright—but he couldn’t kill him.

Blood Sea Crimson Wave Palm clashed against Rantian Flowing Cloud Fist.

Yuri’s rapid blows were blocked by palm techniques.

As expected—he was losing in raw power.

Each collision filled his mouth with blood. The aura of Evil-Quelling Heavenly Principle Technique wavered, and blood welled from his fists.

He ignored the pain.

As long as he avoided fatal wounds.

Which was difficult.

Unlike Blood Fiend Ghost, Yuri had no protective aura. Even grazing contact meant severe injury.

If he could land a solid hit, he’d win—

—but landing it was the problem.

It was the same as before.

Palm force twisted aside under his fists, and nimble footwork barely evaded distorted trajectories.

There wasn’t even time to shout.

He focused further.

The right hand obscuring his front was a feint. Shoulder movement and wrist tremor hinted at variation.

His prediction several moves ahead proved correct.

He deflected—punched again.

Blocked.

Blood Fiend Ghost was also reading him.

No matter how sharp Yuri’s eyes were, he couldn’t outplay a demonic master who had fought for decades through mere exchanges.

Then—

accept damage.

He offered his left hand.

The left fist collided and was knocked upward. Aura scattered. His fingers loosened slightly.

Blood Fiend Ghost didn’t miss it.

A red hand shot forward and seized Yuri’s left hand. Yuri spread aura to resist—but the old demon’s strength was greater.

His aura scattered, and his hand was captured.

‘Crush it.’

It’s over.

Blood Fiend Ghost thought so.

At the same time, Yuri thought—

The opposite hand he had previously swept aside was too far.

The moment his captured left hand tightened painfully—

Yuri stepped in sharply, closing the distance.

‘Madman.’

Blood Fiend Ghost didn’t release the grip. He could have smashed Yuri’s head downward—but didn’t.

His goal wasn’t to kill him.

Yuri had been hoping for exactly that.

His right hand, pressed close to his chest—

ROOOAR!

Internal energy from his dantian concentrated there. Blazing aura engulfed his fist.

‘Desperate struggle.’

The chest was exposed—but Blood Fiend Ghost judged it acceptable.

A strike at this range? He could take it. It would be the brat’s final attack. Judging by his inability to sustain aura in his left hand, his internal energy was nearly depleted.

Still—he reinforced his protective aura around his chest.

The key to **Blazing Burst Fist** was cohesion, tuning, and manifestation.

Compress internal energy without disturbance.

Drive it precisely through the impact point.

Then, without physically touching it, adjust it by will alone—manifesting it into a form befitting killing intent.

When Lorellia first demonstrated Blazing Burst Fist, its “form” had been a spike.

The form Yuri practiced repeatedly was the same.

An exploding spike.

“…?”

The moment the fist approached, a violent sense of wrongness struck.

Don’t take this.

Instinct screamed.

Blood Fiend Ghost belatedly brought down his right hand. Divine art or not—he had to kill him.

But Yuri’s fist reached his chest first.

The instant it touched—

something pierced his protective aura.

BOOM!

For a moment, Blood Fiend Ghost couldn’t comprehend what had happened. Overwhelming pain shattered his consciousness.

Thud.

Blazing Burst Fist was an internal destructive technique—destroying within through external impact.

He understood.

The internal energy triggered from the fist pierced through protective aura and burrowed into his chest.

It burned like raging fire—its form unmistakable.

The tightly bound internal energy transformed inside his chest.

Hundreds of spikes exploded within.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

His chest burst outward like a ruptured balloon. Blood sprayed from his mouth.

“Th-this…”

He stared at Yuri in disbelief.

His raised right hand trembled, then fell limply.

The left hand gripping Yuri’s wrist lost strength.

The internal inferno ravaged everything inside him.

His own internal energy was incinerated by the invading flames.

When he had once knelt before the Cult Leader to receive initiation as one of the Seven Evils—

Blood Fiend Ghost finally recognized the true nature of Yuri’s Divine Art.

“Heavenly Demon… Divine Art…?”

That murmur became his final words.

“What… nonsense… are you…?”

Yuri’s muttered response was his last.

His dantian was completely empty.

Sensation faded.

Consciousness grew heavy.

‘Can’t pass out now…’

He tried to hold on—

—but couldn’t.