Chapter 178 Land Stained with Death (4)
"That's impossible. That passage in the Demonic Scripture is just a metaphorical expression. How could you already draw out the power of the Demon God!"
The Sword Demon, his face contorted like a demon, thrust his sword forward.
It was an ordinary sword held in a middle guard stance, but within it was the enlightenment he had gained by dedicating his entire life.
In the midst of a rough sword path that looked like it would be seen in a marketplace fight, the enlightenment that contained the Sword Demon's entire life flashed and spewed out light.
"Hehehe."
Jaun, who was letting out a strange laugh yet still exuding a clear gaze, raised his sword and brought it to a middle guard stance.
A sword, completely identical to the sword path that the Sword Demon had unfolded from beginning to end, was shot forward.
The Sword Demon's seemingly ordinary thrust contained the condensed power of lightning qi that could melt even steel, and Jaun's sword, which was facing it, was deeply imbued with complete darkness.
─ PIIING
The two energies, which met in mid-air, dissipated without making any particular noise.
"Ah...!"
A fierce storm arose in the eyes of the Sword Demon, who confirmed that his energy had scattered the moment it collided with Jaun's energy.
"So... the pure darkness mentioned in the Demonic Scripture really did exist."
The Sword Demon let out a great sigh.
He had dedicated his entire life to achieving great mastery of demonic arts, but in the end, the Sword Demon had judged that complete demonic energy could never be controlled by an ordinary person's body. That was why he had wandered in search of his own path, and although he had been able to obtain lightning qi on that path, he had a vague feeling that it was a heterogeneous power that could not perfectly harmonize with demonic arts.
In contrast, the place that Jaun's energy pursued was complete darkness.
The Sword Demon could feel at the tip of Jaun's sword the end of that darkness, which was like death, that he had believed could never be reached by a human body, even after dedicating his entire life to demonic arts.
"You... were truly our sky. Not one who follows the laws, but one who creates them. The one who can draw out the full power of the Demon God with an incomplete human body... the chosen one mentioned in the Demonic Scripture."
The Sword Demon's sword suddenly dropped. The Sword Demon, who had lost his will to fight, looked at Jaun with a dazed look. Then, the lightning that had been causing explosions in all directions began to gradually die down.
After the lightning disappeared, only black demonic fire remained, floating in the air and burning, exuding a terrible aura of darkness.
Jaun's eyes twitched for a moment as he confirmed that everything that had been blocking his energy had disappeared. And a creepy smile appeared on the lips of Jaun, who was looking at the Sword Demon.
"Kaaah!"
Jaun let out a strange cry and rushed towards the Sword Demon, who was standing defenseless. Jaun, who had run towards the Sword Demon, who was still deep in thought, swung his sword.
─ BOOM!
A fierce wave of energy erupted from Jaun's sword, and soon the sword was shot towards the Sword Demon's neck in an instant.
The Sword Demon, who had belatedly raised his head, did not even think of blocking Jaun's sword and just looked at Jaun with trembling eyes.
─ SWOOOSH
Just before Jaun's sword, which had been shot with tremendous momentum, was about to pierce through the Sword Demon's neck, a gush of blood spewed from Jaun's mouth.
─ SPLAT!
The sword, which had been turned aside at the last moment, grazed the Sword Demon's neck.
The crimson light in the eyes of Jaun, who had struggled to turn the sword, gradually subsided. Then, the demonic fire that had filled the air instantly dissipated.
"Gah... ugh."
Jaun, who had spewed blood from his mouth once again, collapsed towards the Sword Demon.
The Sword Demon, who had caught the falling Jaun's body with open arms, looked blankly at Jaun, who was unconscious in his arms.
"Yes... you could. You could really reach the end of demonic arts, that place. That's what he saw."
The Sword Demon, who was looking down at Jaun, slung him over his shoulder.
"I will complete you, so that you can maintain your sanity to the end even after drawing out the complete demonic energy. I will pass on everything I have realized so far to you. Perhaps... I may be able to witness the completion of the demonic through you."
The Sword Demon's eyes began to burn with intense desire.
The Sword Demon, who was looking around with Jaun slung over his shoulder, soon began to run to the side.
Thus, the figures of the two quickly disappeared into the forest.
***
"Is it over?"
"Looks like it."
Gwang-ryong, who was looking up from the middle of the mountain, shook his head and sighed.
Next to him, Chu Myeong-hwa, who was biting her lip, clenched her fists.
"Was it really... that Sword Demon?"
"You felt it too. Who else could emit such an aura but him? I'm more surprised by that brat who fought such a battle with that monster and ended it without much damage than by the fact that the Sword Demon has moved again."
At Gwang-ryong's words, Chu Myeong-hwa's fists trembled.
"My back still stings whenever it rains because of the wound that Sword Demon gave me. Even now, that revenge..."
"Tsk. That's enough. Do you still have lingering feelings even after feeling that energy a little while ago? Just as we have moved forward, he has also moved forward. The gap... is still the same."
At Gwang-ryong's words, Chu Myeong-hwa bit her lip hard.
Gwang-ryong, who had once again patted the back of Chu Myeong-hwa, who was still glaring at the place where the Sword Demon had disappeared, turned around.
He had only intended to check what Muhyang was up to, as she had suddenly left Ak-yang, which was under the Sado Alliance's protection, but he had never dreamed that he would encounter such a scene here.
As Gwang-ryong, who was looking around the area that had been turned into a land of death due to the terrible demonic energy, flicked his hand, figures in black masks suddenly appeared from the side.
"...Clean this place up and make up a story so that this matter doesn't get out. Also, quickly check the demonic energy that was felt from the other side."
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
The masked figures who had bowed their heads melted into the air again.
The corners of Gwang-ryong's mouth went up as he looked around the completely ruined mountain peak.
"...My body is itching. This is going to be very interesting in my later years."
Gwang-ryong, who was rotating his shoulders, patted the back of Chu Myeong-hwa, who was still glaring at the place where the Sword Demon had disappeared, once again.
"Let's go. It's frustrating that that brat Jaun has disappeared... but we'll have to somehow hold on by ourselves until he comes back and gives the Demonic Cult a good punch."
The two, who had made eye contact, nodded and began to run towards Ak-yang.
***
"Hmm. The smell of water. So this is Wuhan, where the Murim Alliance is said to be."
A young man in worn-out martial arts robes looked at the lake of Wuhan, stretched his arms, and yawned.
"The Central Plains is definitely good. There's water and a big city. I wonder if our kids, who have been cooped up in the mountains their whole lives, will soon be able to enjoy such a view?"
The young man, who was looking at the lake with a pleased smile, slowly approached the lake and began to walk around.
The long, tied-up sword on the young man's back swayed back and forth as he felt the blowing wind and enjoyed the atmosphere of the lake.
The young man, who had been walking around the lake for a long time enjoying the scenery, found a large tree and sat down under it. The blowing wind gently stroked the young man's hair.
The young man, who was looking at the lake with a satisfied expression, leaned his back against the tree and closed his eyes.
─ WHISTLE, WHISTLE
The lush leaves above the head of the young man, who was whistling lowly, rustled in the wind.
"...Perfect."
The young man, with a wide smile, leaned against the tree and enjoyed the lake breeze.
Danli-hyeong, the third son of the Demonic Cult, who had received permission from the Demonic Brain Hall and set out on a journey to the martial world alone, had arrived in Wuhan, which he had been most curious about, while hiding his identity.
Just as Danli-hyeong, who had been leaning against the tree for a long time feeling the lake breeze, was about to doze off from drowsiness, a noise began to be heard from afar.
Danli-hyeong's eyes twitched for a moment, but he let out a small sigh, raised his qi to block out the noise, and leaned against the tree again.
─ WHISTLE, WHISTLE
A low whistle from Danli-hyeong's mouth began to echo around again.
***
A magnificent boat was passing over the lake in front of Danli-hyeong. On the boat was an elegant table, and around it, several men and women dressed in high-quality silk clothes that were hard to see were talking and laughing loudly.
'Are the children of a wealthy family on an excursion?'
Danli-hyeong alternately looked at the magnificent boat and his own worn-out martial arts robes and shrugged his shoulders.
He looked at the people who were laughing and talking on the boat, and then, as if he had no interest, he closed his eyes again.
'It's annoying, but... not now. When the war with the main cult begins, I won't be able to feel this kind of atmosphere even if I want to. Before things blow up, I want to enjoy the martial world quietly like this a little longer.'
There was no time to feel such leisure while preparing for the grand plan within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. That was why Danli-hyeong decided to continue the peaceful time he had not experienced so far a little longer.
The boat was moving along the lake, so he just had to endure it for a while.
Danli-hyeong, who thought he could remove the qi barrier and enjoy the quiet atmosphere once the boat passed, hummed and closed his eyes.
"How could you say such a vulgar thing... Apologize at once!"
"No, what on earth is the matter all of a sudden? We were just..."
"Be quiet! I heard some bad rumors about you, but I thought it was a common misunderstanding that circulates in the martial world, but now I see that you're truly unbearable. I'm in no mood to be here for even a moment, so please let us down at once."
A commotion suddenly arose on the boat.
The people who had been sitting around the table and talking cheerfully were now standing up and shouting at each other.
As there was no sign of the women's anger subsiding, the boatman sighed and turned the bow towards the shore.
─ CREEEAK
The boat quickly turned and began to move towards the shore.
Although he had blocked out the noise and even closed his eyes, Danli-hyeong's sharp senses immediately caught the change in the boat's direction.
'...Tsk.'
Unfortunately, the direction the boat was heading was towards the large tree where Danli-hyeong was lying.
Danli-hyeong, who had slightly opened his eyes and was looking at the approaching boat, sighed softly.
As he confirmed that the boat had turned, a magnificent carriage that had been moving alongside the boat began to rush towards the shore. On the side of the carriage was a magnificent flag, the same as the one on the boat.
Five or six strong men got off the carriage that had arrived at the lakeside. The men quickly took out a large wooden plank that was loaded on the carriage and began to connect it to the boat.
The men, who were moving in perfect order, soon created a long wooden gangplank from the shore to the boat. The boat, which had confirmed that the gangplank was completed, increased its speed towards this side.
"...Will you truly not regret this?"
"Our minds are unchanged, so we would appreciate it if you would not speak to us any further."
At the words of the women in magnificent clothes, the faces of the two young men on the boat turned red. The young men, who were glaring at the women, looked at each other.
The young men seemed to be of quite high status, but the women's clothes were also comparable to theirs.
The young men, who were biting their lips and glaring at the women, could not move rashly and only exchanged glances.
As the boat that had approached the shore stopped next to the wooden gangplank that the men had made, the women immediately jumped from the boat. Judging by their controlled movements and fluid movements, the women seemed to have learned martial arts.
Just as the women who had stepped onto the gangplank were walking towards the shore with a frown.
─ BOOM!
The young men, who had been exchanging glances, immediately kicked off the boat and launched themselves. The young men, who had crossed the air and landed on the shore, blocked the women's path.
"...What is this right now?"
"What do you mean, what is this? We're going to teach you some manners."
A vile smile appeared on the young men's lips.