Chapter 441: The Overturned Heavens (2)
Entrance to the Soaring Demon Peak.
Rustle, rustle!
In the heavy atmosphere, a commotion suddenly broke out among the members of the Cult who had thus far remained silent.
It was due to a group attempting to enter the mountain range’s entrance.
“It’s the Blood Dragon Demon Clan!”
“The Sword Demon has appeared!”
Sword Demon Ma Seonghwan, who had stayed secluded and aroused the curiosity of many until now.
Rumors had it that he had suffered an irreparable injury and handed down the position of Clan Head to his successor before retiring.
However—
Although his face was haggard and one of his sleeves still fluttered empty, his presence had been sharpened far more keenly than ever before.
Following such a Sword Demon were over three hundred elites of the Blood Dragon Demon Clan, including the Elders.
As the Sword Demon and the Blood Dragon Demon Clan prepared to ascend Soaring Demon Peak in earnest—
“Stop.”
A group clad in black garments stepped in to block the Sword Demon’s path.
The one standing at the front radiated killing intent and glared at the Sword Demon.
“Sword Demon, what do you think you’re doing?”
“What I’m doing? I should be the one asking that.”
The Sword Demon erupted with his signature oppressive aura, instantly crushing the masked man at the front.
“...Kgh!”
Do Woo of the Ninth Heavenly Lord, newly inducted into the Ten Heavenly Lords, could not withstand the Sword Demon’s pressure and fell to one knee.
The fact that his knee didn’t touch the ground was a miracle.
“I, as the Clan Head of the Great Blood Dragon Demon Clan, am attending the Cult Leader’s enthronement with rightful qualifications. And you, who are not even a member of Our Cult, dare to block my path?”
“Krrrrgh!”
“Judging from your aura, you seem to be somewhat known in the Central Plains...”
Srrng!
The sword tied at the Sword Demon’s waist slipped out naturally, circling him in a spiral.
A manifestation of Sword Levitation Technique pushed to its extremes, appearing without any prior indication.
With an indifferent gaze, the Sword Demon flicked his finger.
“If you want, go ahead and transform into your Awakened Form. I’ll wait.”
“...”
Do Woo of the Ninth Heavenly Lord was originally a high-level unorthodox expert from near Guangdong. Not long ago, he reached the Transformation Realm through a stroke of fortune and joined the Ten Heavenly Lords.
Since reaching the Transformation Realm and becoming one of the Ten Heavenly Lords, he had feared nothing in the world...
‘Even if he’s reached the Transcendent Demon Realm, I thought he was just at the entry level…!’
Even this mere pressure of intent made his internal organs feel like they were being crushed!
He desperately wanted to transform into his Awakened Form, but under strict orders from the Grand Heavenly Lord, he was forbidden from doing so yet.
He was to reveal his true nature only after the ceremony had officially begun.
Do Woo gritted through the pressure and spoke.
“According to the ancient laws, subordinates are not allowed beyond this point. Sword Demon, you must pass alone.”
Under normal circumstances, those words would be correct.
However, the Sword Demon smirked, exposing his teeth slightly.
“That won’t do.”
“W-What?!”
“How dare a mere nobody who’s not even part of Our Cult speak of ancient laws to me.”
“Wh–?”
Bang!
At that moment.
The Sword Demon’s sword shot forth like a flash of light.
“Guh!”
Unable to react to its transcendent speed, a hole the size of a fist appeared in Do Woo’s chest.
“D-Do Woo of the Ninth Heavenly Lord?!”
“Sword Demon! You’ve been stripped of your Elder title—how dare you run rampant?!”
In an instant, warriors from the Bancheon Society and the Cheon Clan jumped out from the surroundings.
However—
“Guhk!”
“Aaaargh!”
All of them were suppressed by the sheer aura radiating from the Sword Demon and couldn’t move a muscle.
The Elders of the Blood Dragon Demon Clan, who witnessed that transcendent divine might, were moved beyond words.
‘The Clan Head… has ascended yet another level!’
Still glaring directly at Do Woo, the Sword Demon slowly approached him.
“For someone of the Ten Heavenly Lords, a heart wound should be recoverable, no?”
“Urgh! Kugh!”
“Transform into your Awakened Form. Or I’ll take your head right here.”
Was it the Grand Heavenly Lord’s command, or his own life?
To Do Woo, this wasn’t even a choice.
Crunch! Crackle!
In an instant, Do Woo’s body began to swell, and massive horns started sprouting from his temples.
Before long, the figure of the Ninth Heavenly Lord began to transform into the form of a massive beast-man shaped like an ox.
The Sword Demon, who had been staring at the sight blankly, clicked his tongue softly.
“I heard that the legendary Flame Emperor Shennong had the head of an ox and was a half-human, half-beast... Turns out he was of a higher rank than I thought.”
“Clan Head, we will handle it.”
Several elders stepped forward, driven by pride, but the Sword Demon shook his head.
“There’s no need to take unnecessary damage. You follow the plan and ambush the Half-Heaven Society to scatter their cult members.”
“What about the Cheon Clan?”
Recalling the secret agreement with Cheon Jumyeong, the Sword Demon gave his command.
“If they come at you, deal with them. There’s no way the orders would’ve reached the bottom ranks, so it can’t be helped.”
“Understood!”
Soon, the warriors of the Blood Dragon Demon Clan scattered and began to charge at the masked figures.
And then.
The cult members who had been quietly observing around them began to scream the moment they saw the awakened form of the Ninth Heavenly Lord.
“A-A demonic beast has appeared!”
“R-Run away!”
Even the cult members who had come to watch the enthronement out of a sense of duty scattered in panic.
The Sword Demon watched the scene with satisfaction as he approached the Ninth Heavenly Lord.
“Right now... I feel like I could even cross swords with the bastard who took my arm... Someone of your level should be a good warm-up.”
“Grrrr... Sword... Demon!”
The Ninth Heavenly Lord, having regenerated the area around his pierced heart, let out a roar toward the sky.
No, to be precise, he tried to roar.
“This is just perfect to test out my newly acquired seasona—hmm?”
The Sword Demon frowned as he sensed someone stealthily slipping in.
And before long—
Crack!
Along with the faint sound of thunder bursting.
Thud!
With a dull sound, the massive forearm of the Ninth Heavenly Lord was suddenly and cleanly severed!
“Gwaaaaaaaah!!”
The roar the Ninth Heavenly Lord had tried to unleash was replaced by a scream of agony.
Crack! Crackle!
The Sword Demon frowned as he looked at the thin threads of lightning surrounding the Ninth Heavenly Lord.
He immediately realized the identity of the plunderer who had stolen his prey.
“Murder Demon... you bastard.”
Before anyone noticed, a middle-aged man with a cold expression had descended atop the head of the crying Ninth Heavenly Lord.
“Don’t complain about me taking your prey, Sword Demon.”
“......Ha.”
“This isn’t a warrior’s duel—it’s a war.”
Murder Demon So Munyak yanked on the Nine Heavens Chains held in both his hands.
Then—
Crack! Creak!
The Nine Heavens Chains binding the entire body of the Ninth Heavenly Lord tightened around his flesh.
“N-No...!”
Sensing his hollow end, the Ninth Heavenly Lord let out a low scream.
But Murder Demon’s Nine Heavens Chains mercilessly tore his body to pieces.
“Tsk! That was messy.”
The Sword Demon deflected the splattering blood of the awakened form with his defensive qi and rebuked the Murder Demon.
“You’ve been quiet for quite a while—what have you been preparing?”
Normally, the Sword Demon wasn’t one to ask such things, but it was impossible not to be curious why someone as active as the Murder Demon had gone completely silent for years.
The Murder Demon turned his head slightly and murmured in a very low voice.
“...Nursing.”
Anyone who knew the Murder Demon would have rubbed their eyes in disbelief upon hearing those words.
But the Sword Demon was surprised for a different reason.
He was one of the few who knew the Murder Demon’s situation, and he knew just how deeply he had loved ‘her.’
“She wasn’t dead?”
“Barely... I was able to save her. Though she became a vegetable, losing everything.”
“And you still thought to help that bastard Jin Yeomyeong?”
“Because the root cause was clearly that enemy. More importantly, I know how to separate public and private matters.”
“Hmph.”
At the rather earnest story, the Sword Demon generously decided to overlook the Murder Demon taking his prey.
“I heard the Jin Clan and the Hwan Clan are currently siding with that Jin Yeomyeong bastard.”
“The Pa Clan must be moving too, and the Sa Clan will act once they regroup...”
“Is this really the first time in a while that all six clans are gathering?”
The Sword Demon and Murder Demon shared a brief smirk as they looked at each other.
“Let’s go. Today, the Ten Thousand Great Mountain needs a thorough cleaning. The elders should take the lead and put in some work.”
The Sword Demon and the Murder Demon began to walk side by side toward the summit of Soaring Demon Peak.
The tools needed for that great cleaning would be sharp blades, and the water required would be the blood of their enemies.
“Grand Duke, the Extreme Saber Clan has also begun to move.”
I received Nung Jahyeon's report while keeping my eyes fixed on the map.
Nung Jahyeon glanced at me and cautiously expressed his opinion in a low voice.
“With the Heavenly Clan Head’s decision, we avoided a prolonged war. Now that the Demon Clan, So Clan, and Pa Clan have begun to stir, we too must act in time to wipe them out in one sweep.”
I asked, still without lifting my gaze from the map.
“Where is Yura?”
“…There was nothing at the location Vice Captain So mentioned. It seems they noticed and moved the Cult Leader’s location.”
“……”
“Grand Duke.”
Just as Nung Jahyeon said, the situation was turning urgent.
I had killed Do Ol, who had been holed up at the Heukgeum Clan, and reclaimed it.
And afterward, I received a message from the Sword Demon, who had been in hiding, and learned of Cheon Jumyeong’s plan.
Cheon Jumyeong was prepared to die.
Like the tale of Jing Ke and Fan Wuji, he had chosen to become Fan Wuji rather than Jing Ke.
But even so.
I couldn’t make a decision.
Because of Yura’s safety.
That matter had yet to be resolved.
‘It’s certain something will happen at Soaring Demon Peak. He’s almost certainly keeping Yura there. But... what if she’s not?’
Even if I reclaimed the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, if I lost Yura, everything would be for nothing.
Why else would I be suffering like this in this life?
‘I can’t afford even the slightest misjudgment. If I lose Yura, everything ends.’
It was then.
“G-Grand Duke.”
A guard stationed outside came rushing in, wearing an expression as if he had seen a ghost.
“There is a guest here to see you.”
“A guest?”
“Yes. But the identity of that guest…”
“……”
Upon hearing the guest’s identity, I frowned slightly.
But at this point, I couldn’t avoid meeting that guest.
“Let them in.”
And so, the one who appeared before me—
“Hehehe, how do you do, Grand Duke?”
“…Elder Nine Yin Blood Claw.”
None other than the traitor who betrayed Our Cult and joined the Half-Heaven Society. Nine Yin Blood Claw, Wang Garak.
‘Seems like he rushed over in quite a hurry.’
I immediately noticed that Wang Garak’s breathing was quite unstable.
Even for someone old, it was rare for a high-level martial artist at the Extreme Demon level to appear so shaken.
But that was that, and this was this.
“My mood is not the best right now. Did you come to beg for death?”
“Sorry, but the place where I’m meant to die is beside Lady Yeomae, not here.”
“……”
When he mentioned Gwang Rahi Yeo Jin, I frowned slightly.
I still couldn’t figure out what kind of scheme she was plotting.
There must be a reason why the Cheontae-jong told us to leave her alone.
Then it happened.
“Perhaps, isn’t this what the Grand Duke needs right now?”
Wang Garak pulled something out from his sleeve.
“…Th-That.”
The moment I saw what Wang Garak took out, I slightly parted my lips.
They were none other than the Heaven Demon Seal and the Heaven Demon Divine Sword.