Chapter 434: Do-ol (1)
I was certain of it.
That wasn’t Cheon Jumun.
His honest soul had vanished without a trace, replaced by an eerie and sinister spirit hidden beneath his skin.
Judging roughly, the total amount of power I sensed from him was about half of what Yorang had when we first met.
But the immediate feeling I experienced upon seeing him wasn’t rivalry or hostility.
‘Damn it…’
It was regret.
Death King Enforcer Monk Cheon Jumun had always evoked complicated feelings in me.
He was someone with whom I could have built a good relationship, yet he also had a karmic debt with my subordinates, Gu Chil and Myeong-oh, that needed resolution.
Of course, after discovering that the previous massacre of the Demonic Ghost Execution Squad wasn't Cheon Jumun’s intention, that resentment had considerably faded.
Perhaps it was because he had intended to leave.
Or perhaps due to his relationship with his brother, Cheon Jumyeong.
Deep inside, I had vaguely realized that developing a profound camaraderie with Cheon Jumun would be impossible.
But.
Even then.
I never wanted a reunion like this.
I gritted my teeth, feeling bitterness lingering at the tip of my tongue.
‘In the end, Cheon Jumyeong has lost all his brothers.’
When I previously saw Cheon Jumun brainwashed, I already knew he was taken hostage.
However, despite Cheon Jumyeong luring Yura out and reclaiming the Divine Cult, he still couldn't retrieve Cheon Jumun.
At that moment, Yorang spoke from inside my clothes.
-That’s Do-ol.
‘Do-ol?’
-He’s exactly the opposite of Gunggi. He enjoys manipulating the living with sinister sorcery, always scheming behind his subordinates.
He was, indeed, the complete opposite of Cheon Jumun.
‘Meaning, he’s someone who absolutely must die.’
-It won't be easy. He's directly under Heavenly Evil, and given his inherently cowardly nature, he wouldn't hesitate to flee if the situation became unfavorable...
Suddenly, Yorang changed her tone.
-You’re lucky. He won’t be running away.
‘Why?’
-Because of his location.
‘Location?’
Perhaps due to our Shikigami contract, a sudden stream of obscure magical knowledge flowed through my mind from Yorang.
I immediately understood what it entailed.
‘A large-scale… human sacrifice?’
-Yes. It’s a primitive yet extremely potent amplification sorcery, conducted at spiritual grounds by performing rituals in the four cardinal directions, gathering life energy into a single point.
How could I not know this?
I had traveled far north precisely to stop this very ritual, which was where I met Yorang and my Senior Brothers.
-This place is currently the southern node of that grand ritual formation.
‘What exactly happens if it’s activated?’
-Many things. However, one thing is certain…
A sharp, sinister smile appeared in Yorang's voice.
-If the formation activates, this Heavenly Demon Divine Cult built by my previous host will certainly be destroyed.
‘…….’
Yorang never lied.
Instinctively, I knew her words were the undeniable truth.
‘Could it be that they gathered all the Sa Clan members in one place because…’
-Exactly, to sacrifice them all at the appropriate time.
If that was true, I absolutely had to catch this bastard Do-ol here and now.
He couldn't be allowed to escape under any circumstances.
Resolutely confirming my intention, I immediately took out a talisman from my robes and burned it.
It was the Communication Talisman I had previously used before going to Mount Tai.
-Please speak, my lord.
From the other side came Hwan Jeong’s voice.
‘A very fierce battle is about to break out. Can you seal off the area around Golden Thunder Demon Peak so that the impact won't be detected outside as much as possible?’
-……
This request would certainly be much harder than before.
Right now, the area near Golden Thunder Demon Peak was practically a demonic realm.
I emphasized a particular word strongly in my voice.
‘I’m counting on you, Clan Leader of the Heavenly Illusion Clan, Hwan Jeong.’
His reply came without delay.
-Well, I suppose there's no helping it. As a member of the Yuk Clan, aiding in restoring the Divine Cult to normal is my duty.
I drove the point home.
‘Once everything is resolved, I'll ensure you have a seat in the Elder Hall.’
-I shall do my utmost.
Considering how things had unfolded, it wouldn’t have been surprising even if Hwan Jeong and the Heavenly Illusion Clan had turned their backs by now.
However, the reason they hadn't done so yet was due to their faith in my existence.
That meant, if I couldn't prove myself here, the worst-case scenario would be the Heavenly Illusion Clan abandoning me.
Though Hwan Jeong outwardly appeared loyal, it was also true that part of his nature resembled his predecessor, Illusion Demon Hwan Pyeong.
Only then did I shift my gaze toward Do-ol, who was glaring at me as though he wanted me dead.
“I kept you waiting.”
“…….”
“There’s no need to mention it; we've both had time to prepare our moves.”
Do-ol looked at me sourly and spat out his words.
“That damned bastard Gunggi… He omitted too many details in his reports.”
Ku-gu-gu-gung!
Suddenly, dozens of monstrous creatures began to emerge from all around.
Some of them exuded an aura far too sacred to be called mere Demonic Beasts.
Do-ol abruptly pointed his finger somewhere.
“Can you see that place?”
“Yes.”
The location Do-ol indicated was a residential district roughly five hundred jang away.
“There, I've gathered over two thousand humans.”
Indeed, a considerable presence of human life could be sensed where he pointed.
Most likely, these were family members of the Black Gold Sa Clan warriors who operated externally.
“If you fight me now, I'll sacrifice every last one of those humans.”
“…….”
“I've methodically poisoned them over time, weakening them thoroughly so they'd make easy sacrifices.”
A vile smile twisted at Do-ol’s lips.
“I’ve heard your title clearly is Demonic Faction Lord, isn't it? They say you're a compassionate leader who values powerless cult members. If you quietly leave now…”
“Go ahead.”
“I won’t harm them if you… Wait, what?”
Do-ol’s mouth, previously flapping, abruptly stopped.
“What did you just say?”
I smiled while watching his stunned face.
“I told you to sacrifice them.”
“...Are you serious?”
“Should I wait until your ritual finishes?”
I tilted my head slightly, openly provoking him.
Realizing I meant what I said, Do-ol groaned.
“I don’t understand. According to our intel, clearly you were…”
“Yes. For a Demonic Practitioner, I'm on the softer side.”
However, in this life, there was one priority above all else.
Yura’s safety.
Her safety took precedence over everything, including moral judgments of good and evil.
“If you use them as sacrifices to fight me, it'll delay the ritual you're conducting. So, go ahead. I’ll wait as long as necessary.”
“…….”
If this decision led to the annihilation of the Black Gold Sa Clan, I might feel sorry towards Sa Biyeon, but I would have no regrets.
Do-ol ground his teeth furiously as he glared at me.
“You ruthless bastard. You’re not bluffing; you truly mean it.”
“Of course, I mean it.”
“Damn it…”
Conflict flashed across Do-ol’s face.
Indeed, normally, he would have sacrificed the clan members without hesitation.
But right now, he couldn't casually make such a decision because Heavenly Evil’s revival was imminently close.
Although he had already taken the souls of dozens of Sa Clan members, sneaking a snack and openly raiding the food stores were entirely different issues.
“Guuuuuh!”
After nearly half a gyeong’s worth of agonizing deliberation, Do-ol finally…
“A few thousand humans? It makes no difference! The power I’ve gathered now is more than enough to deal with you!”
Ultimately, he abandoned that option.
Crack! Crack-crack!
Cheon Jumun’s body started swelling grotesquely.
His once-powerful, muscular physique twisted into a horrifying mass of flesh, defiling my sight.
“You bastard.”
The sight of a supreme master who had reached the Transcendent Demon Realm being corrupted into such a disgusting form was unbearable.
Before he could fully transform, I immediately struck first.
Whoosh!
An unprecedented aura surged forth from my palm.
Heavenly Demonic Divine Art
Heaven-Piercing Desolation
Apart from the Bright Net Ten Swords I had newly established after reaching the Supreme Demon Realm, there were still some useful techniques from the original Heavenly Demonic Divine Art.
Especially, the techniques taught by Cheon Taejong were perfect for fighting empty-handed.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
In an instant, the swelling lumps of flesh were shredded, and bloody scraps scattered in every direction.
-How dare you!
But that single strike wasn’t enough to finish him. He swiftly regenerated his body and soared into the sky.
“……!”
His completely transformed figure was now a gigantic black tiger bearing Cheon Jumun’s face.
No, to be precise, should I call it a human-faced tiger?
-I'll kill you!
In an instant, dark storm clouds appeared, covering the sky with an ominous red glow.
If Gunggi, another of the Four Atrocities, was like an impenetrable fortress, Do-ol felt like an intangible fog.
Kwa-rung! Kwa-ru-rung!
Thunder and storms crashed down from all directions, and the energy of heaven and earth converged around Do-ol.
‘Impressive. Does he control the weather?’
It was even more surprising because I'd never seen a sorcerer so fully embodying the classic concept of storm-summoning before.
-Do-ol is a descendant of Zhuanxu, who caused the Severance of Heaven and Earth. Although not a dragon, it’s not surprising he has dominion over the skies.
“Based on your description, I was expecting necromancy or corpse manipulation sorcery.”
Instead, it was purely elemental sorcery, not necromancy or reanimation.
-Those exist too, of course. But starting directly with pure elemental magic means he's already assessed you as a serious threat.
Yorang clicked her tongue softly, continuing her explanation.
-But even this isn't his full power.
‘This isn’t his full strength?’
-He may have changed his appearance dramatically, but that’s only superficial. His essence remains that human, Cheon Jumun.
-He’s merely outputting power at the maximum limit his human body allows. There's no way a direct subordinate of Heavenly Evil would be limited to just this level.
-Therefore, you must kill him decisively now, before he unleashes his true strength.
“Understood.”
Facing him, I slowly drew out the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword.
Since reaching the Supreme Demon Realm, though I had used sword techniques before, this was my first time wielding the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword.
Seureung!
With a clear metallic sound, the emerald-green sword reappeared once again in the world.
Then—
-What’s this?
Suddenly, visible wariness appeared distinctly in the eyes of Do-ol, still bearing Cheon Jumun’s face.
-Who’s standing behind you now?
“Well, who could it be?”
Clearly, some sort of arrangement existed within the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword.
I had spent considerable time trying to uncover it, yet I only confirmed it responded slightly to Gunggi, another of the Four Atrocities, without knowing the exact conditions for activating it.
Initially, I wondered if the qualifications required were something other than martial prowess.
But that wasn't it.
It simply meant even the Transcendent Demon Realm wasn't sufficient to meet its conditions.
Only after reaching the Supreme Demon Realm did all secrets within the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword unravel, and I finally understood Senior Brother’s arrangement.
And alongside that arrangement appeared…
Not just one.
-…Six?
With the awakening of the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword, Do-ol’s spiritual vision immediately identified something behind me.
Five clearly male figures, and one masked figure whose gender couldn't be discerned.
Those six silhouettes had appeared behind me.
“This is a bit amusing. Or perhaps it's only natural?”
-What nonsense are you saying?
At Do-ol’s words, I gave a bitter smile and responded quietly.
“Because this sword was never meant for me to begin with.”