Chapter 174 The Chase (7)
"Kraaah!"
A fountain of blood gushed from both of Fist Demon's arms.
The rapidly gathered blood qi was trying to heal his arms, but Jaun's figure had already approached him.
─ SWISH
─ SLICE
─ CRACK
Subsequently, Jaun's sword cut through Fist Demon's thigh, slashed his side, and embedded itself in his collarbone.
"Aaaah!"
Fist Demon writhed in pain and stepped back again, but the momentum had already completely shifted to Jaun.
"H-how could you... my Sovereign Destroyer Shattering Fist, perfected with blood qi!"
Fist Demon seemed to be more shocked by the fact that his martial art had been defeated than by his own body being cut.
Fist Demon's eyes, which had been so confident just a moment ago, lost their focus and trembled violently.
"There was definitely no opening! I'm saying there was no gap for your sword to cut through!"
Fist Demon screamed as if he had lost his mind and was having a seizure. As Jaun's sword grazed his chest again, blood began to pour out.
─ HIIISS
The blood qi immediately began to heal his body, but Fist Demon's eyes had already lost their light.
Fist Demon, looking at his broken arm, bit his lip hard.
"Eeeek!"
In an instant, all the blood qi flowing through Fist Demon's body began to concentrate in his right arm. As his right arm rapidly healed, the wounds elsewhere burst open again.
Ignoring his own body, which was being stained with blood, Fist Demon concentrated all his energy into his right hand and glared at Jaun.
"This is impossible. It can't be. My entire life... my Shattering Fist!"
Fist Demon chose the power to swing his fist one more time over his own life. Ignoring the blood that was constantly dripping to the ground, Fist Demon's body, which had poured all its energy into his right hand, began to tremble.
An entirely different level of energy from before gathered in Fist Demon's right arm. The energy, which was condensed to the point where it could no longer be condensed, began to stain the surroundings red.
Soon, cracks appeared in the ground where Fist Demon was standing.
The face of Fist Demon, who had gathered all the energy in his body and poured it into his fist, was instantly covered in wrinkles, and it was gradually changing into that of a full-fledged old man.
"If I can just... just unleash it once properly...!"
Fist Demon's eyes, who had given up his life and poured all his strength into his arm, blazed as he looked at Jaun. Fist Demon's fist, glaring at Jaun, shot a huge pillar of blood-red energy into the sky.
'...This is the power of the Seven Demons.'
Jaun, feeling the mountain-like energy flowing from Fist Demon's fist, slowly exhaled and gripped the Mangru Blood Sword tightly.
'But no matter how much it's supplemented with blood arts, the underlying principle is the mystery of the Shattering Fist. It can be completely defeated.'
Jaun slowly raised his sword forward as he looked at the concentrated blood qi that was so intense it stung his whole body.
'Hoo.'
The surface of the Mangru Blood Sword began to glow red from the surrounding blood qi. Jaun's arm trembled faintly from the terribly condensed blood qi he felt from the sword.
'If there's even the slightest error... I'll be the one to lose my life.'
Jaun focused all his nerves on the Mangru Blood Sword.
Red and black.
The two energies with distinct lights slowly approached each other.
─ THUD!
In an instant, Fist Demon took a step forward, stomped his foot forcefully, and then thrust his fist forward.
The ground around where Fist Demon had stomped exploded, and a fist strike containing immense power was shot towards Jaun.
A shockwave, as if a firebomb had exploded, swept over Jaun's body first, followed by Fist Demon's energy, which shot in with fierce momentum.
Jaun's Demon Dragon Robe fluttered violently in the wind created by Fist Demon's fist strike.
'...Become one with the sword, and cleave it in a single strike.'
Jaun, who had lowered his stance as much as possible in the wind of Fist Demon's fist, concentrated all his nerves on the sword. Then, the surrounding scenery began to grow faint, and before long, only Jaun and a single sword remained in the world.
In the quiet silence, Jaun poured all the energy he possessed into the Mangru Blood Sword.
─ KIIING
The Mangru Blood Sword, filled with demonic energy, trembled faintly, and Jaun's body, which had poured all its energy into the sword, began to resonate with that trembling.
Jaun, who had closed his eyes, opened them and slowly drew his sword from left to right.
[Heavenly Killing Demon Sword, Seventh Form. Dark Thunder Shaking the Heavens]
─ PIING
A thread-thin energy appeared in front of Jaun's body.
The energy, which emitted a bright light, soon became a black lightning bolt containing complete darkness and shot forward.
─ CRACK!
The moment Jaun's energy touched Fist Demon's energy, a small crack was created in the fist strike.
─ CRACKLE
Then, Jaun's energy, which was cutting through Fist Demon's energy, shot forward at a tremendous speed.
─ CRACKLE CRACKLE
The surface of Fist Demon's energy, which had been broken, began to be split in half all too helplessly.
Fist Demon's mouth trembled as he confirmed that the fist strike containing all of his being was being split in half.
Fist Demon, with a pale face, lowered his head and looked at his own blood-stained fist.
"...Indeed. You have reached the realm of becoming one with the sword?"
In the eyes of Fist Demon, who raised his head with a hollow look, he could see Jaun's energy, which had completely split his fist strike in half, shooting in.
"I... was a frog in a well."
─ SWISH
Immediately after, a thin red line passed from Fist Demon's outstretched arm to his neck.
─ SPLURT!
Finally, Fist Demon's headless body collapsed to the ground with a thud.
***
A high peak.
The eyes of the Blood Demon, who was sitting in a cross-legged position in an elegant pavilion and looking down at the scenery of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, twitched for a moment.
"...I'm sure I told you not to disturb me."
The Blood Demon muttered and slowly turned his head back. From among the dense bamboo forest, a rustling sound was heard, and then Demonic Brain slowly walked forward.
"F-forgive me. I have an urgent report to deliver..."
The pale-faced Demonic Brain trembled, unable to even lift his head properly.
─ THUD
Demonic Brain, who had kneeled on the spot and bowed his head deeply, slowly pushed forward the letter he was holding.
The Blood Demon, who was looking at the scene with a frown, beckoned with his finger, and the letter in Demonic Brain's hand was sucked into the Blood Demon's hand.
After quickly reading the letter, the Blood Demon got up from the pavilion and began to walk slowly towards Demonic Brain.
─ THUD, THUD
The Blood Demon, who had walked with slow steps, stopped in front of the prostrated Demonic Brain and opened his mouth.
"Fist Demon is dead?"
A crimson energy streamed out from the eyes of the Blood Demon, who was looking down at Demonic Brain.
The Blood Demon's appearance, with a huge blood qi wrapped around his body and veins bulging all over, was not just strange but even eerie.
Demonic Brain, who was trembling in front of the Blood Demon, slammed his head on the ground.
"I-I never imagined there would be such a master in Sichuan. The Murim Alliance and the Sado Alliance, judging by the situation, do not have the capacity to dispatch such a master..."
─ THUD
As the Blood Demon took another step forward, Demonic Brain stopped talking and let out a rough breath.
─ GRAB
The Blood Demon grabbed Demonic Brain by the scruff of the neck and lifted him up, making eye contact with him.
"I'll ask again. Is the content of this letter true?"
Demonic Brain, who was grabbed by the neck by the Blood Demon, struggled to lift his head and look at him. Demonic Brain, who had moistened his dry lips with saliva, nodded his head.
"Y-yes. It has been confirmed three times. All twelve informants nearby sent letters with the same content, and one of them even contained the broken jade plaque that Fist Demon had."
The Blood Demon, who was staring at Demonic Brain's eyes, threw his body to the ground.
─ CRASH
A stream of blood flowed from the mouth of Demonic Brain, who had been roughly thrown to the ground. Demonic Brain, who seemed to have suffered an internal injury, struggled to get up, managed to straighten his posture, and bowed his head towards the Blood Demon again.
The Blood Demon, who was frowning in thought, tilted his head.
"Who on earth could kill that Fist Demon? Was the Murim Alliance Leader in Sichuan?"
"That is..."
Demonic Brain, who was fidgeting, bowed deeply.
"We have not yet been able to identify the culprit who killed Fist Demon. The scene of the duel was so devastated that it is difficult to find clear evidence. Moreover, none of the masters of the Murim Alliance and the Sado Alliance that we are paying attention to have shown any signs of movement. We only know that the opponent is a sword user..."
"Are you telling me that someone we weren't watching killed a Blood Demon single-handedly? Do you think that makes sense right now?"
Demonic Brain moistened his dry lips again and bowed his head low.
The Blood Demon, who had been staring at Demonic Brain with dry eyes for a long time, let out a chuckle.
"Heh, hehehe."
Demonic Brain's body trembled at the Blood Demon's laughter.
"Hahahahahaha!"
The moment the Blood Demon's laughter erupted, the pavilion behind him turned to dust and scattered in all directions.
Demonic Brain's entire body, which had received the Blood Demon's energy right in front of him, was covered in blue bruises.
The Blood Demon, who had been laughing maniacally for a long time, suddenly stopped laughing.
As the Blood Demon's cold breath touched his face, Demonic Brain's body trembled.
"What on earth were you doing while things got to this point? Wasn't the invasion of Sichuan also carried out according to your plan?"
"N-never! There will be no more failures. Still, the Sichuan region was conquered as planned..."
"This letter says that we lost the Black Lotus and also lost Nine Springs Demonic Saber and Fist Demon? The only thing we gained by sacrificing a member of the Seven Demons is a barren piece of land with nothing left. Is this really the plan you had set up?"
The Blood Demon reached out his hand and grabbed Demonic Brain's collar tightly.
As the Blood Demon tightened his grip, Demonic Brain's clothes tightened, putting strong pressure on his neck.
"Gah, gah."
Demonic Brain's face gradually turned blue.
Just as Demonic Brain's eyes, which were struggling in his grasp, were about to roll back, the Blood Demon let go.
─ THUD
The Blood Demon, who was staring blankly at Demonic Brain, who was writhing after being thrown to the ground again, began to emit a thick blood qi from his body.
Demonic Brain, who had barely caught his breath and was trying to get up again, confirmed the blood qi surrounding him and lifted his pale face.
"L-Lord Blood Demon."
Demonic Brain's body was held by the blood qi and slowly floated into the air.
"P-please have mercy... Although there were losses, since we have conquered the Sichuan region, we can now properly utilize everything the cult has planted in the Central Plains for the past ten years..."
─ HISS
At that moment, a strange noise and smoke rose from Demonic Brain's body.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
Demonic Brain's body began to convulse in mid-air. It was because the Blood Demon's blood qi, which was circling around Demonic Brain's body, was greedily sucking the life out of him.
"Kraaah...!"
Demonic Brain's skin instantly became dry, and wrinkles that had not been there before began to appear one by one. Then, with a cracking sound, Demonic Brain's back slowly bent forward.
"Aaaah...!"
Demonic Brain's body, which had been convulsing for a long time, fell to the ground.
Demonic Brain, who had the appearance of a man in his mid-forties, had now become an old man with white hair.
"...Twenty years. I have taken back the youth I gave you. Be grateful that I didn't kill you right away."
"L-Lord Blood Demon..."
Saliva dripped from the mouth of Demonic Brain, who was looking down at his shriveled hands.
Demonic Brain, who was trembling and unable to close his mouth in the face of the unacceptable reality, looked at the Blood Demon with pitiful eyes.
A faint smile spread across the face of the Blood Demon, who was looking at Demonic Brain.
"You know better than anyone what kind of ending awaits if you fail one more time. You said the next target is Hunan Province, right? I'll be watching to see how far you, who are at the end of your life, will struggle."
After finishing his words, the Blood Demon walked away with steady steps.
Demonic Brain, who had been robbed of his youth and was staring blankly at the ground, staggered to his feet before falling down again with a thud.
A deep will-o'-the-wisp began to rise in the eyes of Demonic Brain, who had been lying on the ground for a long time.