Chapter 517: If You Were Thinking of Touching the Cult Leader
Geom Mugeuk and Geom Woojin looked at each other without a word.
In that silent exchange, where words were unnecessary to understand each other’s thoughts, Blood Heaven Blade Demon felt envious of the Cult Leader.
Not once had he ever felt envious of the Cult Leader before. But now, he felt envy—not of the Cult Leader—but of a ‘father’.
If a son, as a martial artist, said he wanted to witness his father's battle, wouldn’t the father gladly show it to him?
Geom Woojin’s gaze returned to the enemies. He didn’t say a word, but the cold look he gave them was already an answer in itself.
Geom Mugeuk also turned to look at the enemies.
Though two had died, ten still remained. And on top of that, there was Gyo Cheon.
They were not ones to be underestimated. There were more former-era masters than current ones among the enemies. Moreover, they were all those who had committed countless slaughters and atrocities, possessing far more battle experience than most. And then there was Gyo Cheon, who had spent his entire life accumulating hatred. Yet, they weren’t particularly worried.
Could his father possibly be in danger?
His father was said to be the most innately gifted among all the Heavenly Demons in history.
That very father had recently ascended even further in martial prowess. The power of the Nine Calamities Demon Art would undoubtedly be different from before the regression. It was clear enough just from having seen the Dark Flash earlier.
‘You bastards, this won’t be easy for you.’
Geom Mugeuk passed on a piece of news to his father.
“By the way, the issue with the righteous faction has been resolved. We’ve cleared up the misunderstanding, so whatever happens in Chongqing, they won’t think we had anything to do with it.”
He said it loudly on purpose, for Gyo Cheon to hear. In case Gyo Cheon tried to pull another meaningless trick if the battle turned unfavorable.
Gyo Cheon’s expression hardened, while his father gave a slight nod, looking quite satisfied.
The one more pleased than even the father was Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“Well done.”
This whole affair had started because of his own master. Before it escalated into an extreme situation like the Great Demonic Battle, Geom Mugeuk had resolved it well.
Upon hearing the news Geom Mugeuk delivered, not only Gyo Cheon but the atmosphere among the other masters also grew even heavier.
Now, none dared to flap their mouths recklessly like Color Soul Vajra or Star-Patterned Burial Lord had.
Gyo Cheon tried to lift their spirits by offering encouragement.
“The two who fell earlier did so because of a surprise attack—don’t let it shake you!”
But everyone present knew the truth. Even Gyo Cheon, who had shouted, knew it.
That it had nothing to do with any surprise.
Even if the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult had announced, “I will attack now,” in advance—would they really have been able to stop it?
After witnessing the way Star-Patterned Burial Lord and Color Soul Vajra had their bodies cut down without even raising a hand in defense, no one could confidently claim they could have stopped it.
However, just as Gyo Cheon had said when they died, each time such an overwhelming strike was unleashed, the consumption of internal energy must be enormous.
‘We need to make him expend his energy.’
And now, one variable had appeared in this battle.
The appearance of the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Is it a gain, or a liability?
From a pessimistic perspective, it meant one more master to kill. From an optimistic one, it meant they now had someone who could be taken as a hostage. And not just anyone—an unmistakable hostage who was the blood of the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Rumors had long circulated that the Young Cult Leader was no ordinary fighter, but still, there was no comparison to facing someone like Geom Woojin.
Everyone's gaze turned toward the ones originally meant to step forward first: Qilian Demonic Enchantress and Black Emperor. What was supposed to be the first and second entries had now become the third and fourth.
“Let’s all attack together!”
At Qilian Demonic Enchantress’s words, no one moved.
Though it was a suggestion, she hadn’t expected anyone to act. She herself wouldn’t have stepped forward if she were in their place.
Black Emperor and Qilian Demonic Enchantress exchanged glances. Without needing to speak telepathically, the two understood exactly how this battle must proceed.
They had to unleash everything from the very start.
If Geom Woojin deployed the Nine Calamities Demon Art again, they’d be killed without even raising a hand. Hence, the meaning behind suggesting a combined assault.
Qilian Demonic Enchantress used her claw technique, and Black Emperor employed swordsmanship.
The one who moved first was Black Emperor. He kicked off the air and immediately unleashed sword energy at Geom Woojin.
What he used was one of the most confident forms of his exclusive martial art, the Black Heaven Sword Art—Black Heaven Strike.
Swaaaak!
It was truly a sword strike like a bolt of lightning falling from the sky.
Geom Woojin twisted his body to evade the strike, which had come crashing down at him.
Boom!
The crashing sword energy left a deep mark on the ground. Right next to his foot.
Swaaaak! Boom! Swaaaaak! Kwaaang!
Black Heaven Strikes rained down in succession, but Geom Woojin didn’t block with his sword. He dodged using footwork instead, clearly minimizing internal energy usage.
Qilian Demonic Enchantress attacked at the same time.
Her fingernails had suddenly elongated as if they hadn’t been trimmed in years, and from those sharp, grotesque claws radiated a crimson light.
Chaaaaaa!
What extended from both her claws looked like crimson threads. But those threads were known as Blood Threads—beams of qi that could slice through even iron.
She had unleashed Spider Blood Thread, the strongest form of her exclusive martial art, Blood Thread Divine Art.
Her Blood Threads were unique. They could shoot out straight like a spear, then suddenly sway like cloth in the wind. That unpredictability was what made them powerful.
The red lines spread out like spiderwebs, shooting toward Geom Woojin.
Black Emperor’s sword energy and Qilian Demonic Enchantress’s Blood Threads—
This was the moment to raise Protective Energy to block or to fire off sword energy to dispel the incoming attacks!
However, Geom Woojin continued to evade using footwork. Like a predator waiting for the one perfect moment, he conserved his internal energy while biding his time for an opening.
Geom Mugeuk didn’t take his eyes off his father's battle for even a second. His father never fought with an audience in mind. One might expect that he’d think, “Since my son is watching, should I finish them off in style?”
But instead, the only thought was: 'How can I kill all these enemies with the internal energy I have?'
His father fought with meticulous calculation. He was someone who, if he wanted to, could afford to show off and display all kinds of flair and bravado.
If someone like that were an enemy—just imagining it made Geom Mugeuk feel suffocated.
Papapapapapak!
The floor and walls were now deeply etched with marks left by the Blood Threads and sword energy.
At first, Qilian Demonic Enchantress and Black Emperor had felt pleased, believing they had gained the upper hand. If they kept attacking with this much ferocity, surely one strike would land properly at some point.
But the more they attacked, the more anxious they became.
Geom Woojin consistently found gaps to slip through between strikes that seemed impossible to dodge. The attacks were dazzling, and his footwork remained calm.
Black Emperor, Qilian Demonic Enchantress, and the onlookers had likely shouted or thought the same thing countless times.
‘That’s it! It hit! We got him!’
But every time, it was a mere illusion. The strikes narrowly missed.
Not a single attack managed to touch Geom Woojin’s body.
Watching the fight, Geom Mugeuk began to imagine.
What would he do to evade these attacks? How would he respond?
Because of that, he began to see a second figure overlaid on his father’s form.
His own image was superimposed on his father’s.
Sometimes he moved exactly like his father. Sometimes there were minute differences. And at other times, he moved in the opposite way before merging back into unity again.
‘This one can’t be dodged!’
In the imagined scene overlapping with his father, he drew his sword and deflected the incoming forceful energy.
But his father’s movements were different. He dodged using an unexpected step technique.
‘Ah!’
Every time his father found a path that Geom Mugeuk hadn’t thought of, chills ran through his body. The gap in their skills didn’t just teach him what he didn’t know—it also sparked entirely new ideas by showing him previously unimagined methods.
If not for the current situation, he truly would’ve wanted to ask his father: ‘What do you think of this approach?’ They could’ve shared a deep exchange in martial philosophy.
They had intended to exhaust Geom Woojin’s internal energy, but instead, it was the two attackers whose energy was rapidly draining.
At the edge of his growing desperation, Black Emperor finally unleashed a technique he had been holding back.
Black Heaven Abyss.
From the tip of Black Emperor’s sword, eight streams of blue sword energy burst forth, flying directly at Geom Woojin.
Swaaaaaaaaaak.
The sword energy surged forth, even slicing through the Blood Threads unleashed by Qilian Demonic Enchantress.
And this was the exact moment Geom Woojin had been waiting for.
The instant the Blood Threads were severed by Black Emperor’s powerful attack—
Geom Woojin exploded into motion.
He dashed through the gap where the Blood Threads had been cut. His target was none other than Qilian Demonic Enchantress. Black Heaven Abyss was supposed to land a direct hit on Geom Woojin, but instead, it missed more than anything else.
Shiiik!
In a flash, Geom Woojin slashed Qilian Demonic Enchantress.
'So fast!'
Qilian Demonic Enchantress desperately swung her claws, drawing on her full internal power.
Paaaak!
But her claws were severed.
Without giving her even a moment to retreat, Geom Woojin followed through, delivering a deep slash to her shoulder that caused blood to spray everywhere.
In that moment of crisis, Black Emperor did not come to her aid.
'Why isn't he helping me?'
He should know well enough that if she died, he would be next. Could it be? Was he frightened and ran away?
'Coward!'
She couldn’t block the third strike.
Puaaak!
Her waist was slashed nearly halfway through. No longer able to stand, she collapsed on the spot.
Only then did she see the truth. Black Emperor hadn’t fled—he simply couldn’t come to help her.
Saaaak.
Black Emperor was surrounded on all sides and being torn apart. What encircled him were evil spirits.
First Form of the Nine Calamities Demon Art: Human Annihilation Form.
It had been unleashed by Geom Woojin moments earlier.
When the evil spirits first appeared, Black Emperor had felt like his breath was about to stop.
They weren’t just terrifying shapes made of condensed qi. The overwhelming demonic energy pressed in from every direction, making his qi circulate improperly.
He raised Protective Energy and unleashed every secret technique he had—but it was useless.
Geom Mugeuk saw it.
They were clearly bigger and sturdier than the evil spirits he had summoned himself. The four terrifying-faced evil spirits were ripping Black Emperor apart.
Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice!
It wasn’t a single blow. Like living beings, they continued to slash him again and again. If the opponent survived the first strike, then came the second and third rounds of slaughter. This clearly distinguished it from the Human Annihilation Form Geom Mugeuk used himself.
But that wasn’t the only difference.
Originally, Geom Woojin’s evil spirits had no expressions. The uniqueness of Geom Mugeuk’s evil spirits was that they had varied appearances and showed emotions.
But today’s evil spirits were different. He felt emotion in the eyes of one looking at his father.
'It’s different from before!'
And the look in his father’s eyes as he gazed upon them had also deepened.
The Human Annihilation Form in real combat—
Perhaps this, too, was the first time his father had felt such a change—such a resonance.
Soon, the four evil spirits completely vanished.
In the still silence that followed, only a stronger stench of blood remained.
The surroundings were a mess. Countless marks had been left across the floor and walls.
Marks left by the Blood Threads, and others by Black Emperor’s sword energy.
They formed a pattern more tangled than a spiderweb—more intricate than a Go board.
'How did he dodge all of that?'
For them, it was the trail of failure. For Geom Woojin, it was the evidence of success.
Not even a single thread of Geom Woojin’s clothing had been torn.
And in the single moment when his enemies’ guard dropped, he never let the opportunity slip by.
Geom Woojin glanced at Geom Mugeuk.
His father's eyes seemed to be asking, “That battle you said you wanted to see—are you watching closely?”
Geom Mugeuk replied with his gaze, “Yes, I saw everything clearly.”
Then Geom Mugeuk looked toward the enemies.
Now that two more had died, only eight remained.
It was then that he realized something. There should have been eight—but there were only seven.
Where did the last one go?
At that moment, someone suddenly appeared right in front of him and thrust a sword.
Swaaaak!
It was the Red-Faced Noble, his entire face dyed crimson.
The technique that allowed him to instantaneously shift space was his secret move—Corridor Extreme Step.
A user of the Swift Sword Technique, he possessed an astonishing movement art. He was confident. Since he struck first, his opponent wouldn’t be able to block it.
'To kill the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, I must take his child hostage!'
Killing wasn’t the objective, so his sword aimed for Geom Mugeuk’s shoulder.
He’d heard the rumors that the Young Cult Leader was exceptional, but to him, he was still just a Young Cult Leader.
Chaeaeng!
But his sword was blocked.
Astonishingly, the one who deflected the strike was Geom Woojin.
Even faster than Corridor Extreme Step, the flash-like movement that intercepted the attack was none other than Heavenly Demon Flying Art.
“As expected! I knew Father would protect me.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s relaxed reaction, the Red-Faced Noble felt a sudden doubt.
'Could it be? Did he not dodge on purpose, knowing he'd be protected?'
That would be an even more astonishing level of mastery than dodging.
But now wasn’t the time for such thoughts.
The Red-Faced Noble quickly slashed again, launching a surprise attack at Geom Woojin.
Swaaaak!
Once more, he struck first.
Chaeaeng!
But it was blocked again. Geom Woojin’s sword was just as fast as his Swift Sword.
“Thanks to you, I got to witness Father’s battle right up close.”
The moment Geom Mugeuk finished speaking, the swords of Geom Woojin and the Red-Faced Noble clashed.
Geom Mugeuk did not step back. Like a pillar standing firm, he watched the duel unfold in place.
He didn’t worry about a stray blade flying his way. With swords moving that fast, diverting even the slightest attention would result in his throat being pierced by the opponent’s strike.
The two swords moved so fast it created the illusion of dozens of blades being swung at once. But in truth, each wielded only one sword.
Over the Heavenly Demon Sword, the Black Demon Sword appeared layered. The two swords moved in sync, then diverged, then synced again.
Even amid a blur of swordplay too fast for the naked eye, Geom Mugeuk could see both his father’s sword and his own reflected within it.
He instinctively sensed and learned the difference between the two blades. Their speed was beyond anything he could follow with his mind alone.
'Father, we’ll have to sit down someday and talk all night about today’s battle.'
That was how much he gained from watching his father’s fight. And he believed that if they spoke all night, his father, too, would gain new insights. Today’s enlightenment was that profound.
Because the swords moved so fast, the outcome came just as swiftly.
Srrrk!
With the sound of bones cracking, the battle ended.
An unsurprising result.
The Red-Faced Noble staggered back, clutching his chest. Blood seeped between his fingers.
He stumbled toward Geom Mugeuk, who stood beside him.
Having brought death upon himself by trying to take Geom Mugeuk hostage, his eyes were filled with resentment.
He grabbed Geom Mugeuk’s collar. Geom Mugeuk let him do as he pleased.
“...You bastard! I should have killed you.”
Even as he dropped to his knees, he didn’t let go of the collar.
Geom Mugeuk looked down at the dying man’s fading eyes.
Then, he wiped the blood from the Red-Faced Noble’s face with his hand and smeared it across his own cheeks.
“From now on, I’m the Red-Faced Noble. You're too old to be called a ‘noble’ anyway.”
Glaring in fury, the Red-Faced Noble died on the spot.
With his blood-smeared face, Geom Mugeuk looked toward Gyo Cheon and grinned.
“I’m your Red-Faced Noble now, so don’t bother trying to take me hostage.”
A flicker of both rage and absurd disbelief passed across Gyo Cheon’s face.
“You lunatic.”
At that, Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned ice cold.
“If you were planning to touch the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, then you would have to be even crazier than me to come here.”