Chapter 235: If the World Cannot Kill Him
Chapter 235: If the World Cannot Kill Him
Five figures vaulted over the shattered wall, landing in a silent formation behind Ya Yul-han.
Cha Hwan, his body a canvas of intricate dragon tattoos, was the first to step forward. His expression hardened the moment his gaze fell upon the gruesome remains of the Five Thunders Divine Sword.
Though he had grumbled that gifting the man a Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was a waste of resources, he knew better than anyone the caliber of master the Five Thunders Divine Sword had been.
Who on earth possessed the power to slay him so brutally?
Furthermore, he wasn't the only casualty. His disciple, Sa Hyo, lay dead beside him. Truly, if this weren't a gathering that included Ya Yul-han, the Three Evils, and the Blood Wheel Calamity, Cha Hwan would have turned and fled without a second thought.
Cha Hwan stole a glance at Ya Yul-han. As always, the man stared at his opponents with a face utterly devoid of emotion.
Beside him stood the Blood Wheel Calamity.
He was an old man as gaunt as a skeleton, carrying a massive iron disc with serrated blades strapped to his back. The disc looked impossibly heavy; it was the Blood Wheel, his signature weapon, rumored to be capable of shattering any armament in existence.
Finally, Cha Hwan’s gaze shifted toward the Three Evils.
They were triplets. Their faces were identical, their outfits indistinguishable. They stood with such synchronized precision that it seemed as if a single soul had been split into three bodies.
Cha Hwan, well aware of the atrocities the Three Evils had committed, felt a shudder crawl down his spine whenever he looked at them. Their deeds were bizarre acts of cruelty that no sane human should be capable of.
Despite their infamy among the wicked, the Three Evils were barely known in the wider Murim. This was because they were meticulous; they slaughtered every single person associated with their crimes, leaving no witnesses. Facing them didn't feel like facing three villains; it felt like confronting a single, triple-distilled essence of pure evil.
Regardless, with this lineup, their opponents would not leave this place alive.
Cha Hwan stepped forward on behalf of the group. "Who the hell are you people?"
At that, the Three Evils recognized their opponent and answered simultaneously.
"The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon."
The three spoke in perfect, haunting unison, as if they had rehearsed the line for a lifetime, casting an eerie chill over the clearing.
Ya Yul-han had also recognized the Smiling Demon long ago. He asked calmly, "I doubt the Cult Leader gave his permission for this. Is this an independent action?"
The Smiling Demon offered no reply.
As usual, Geom Mu-geuk took charge of the conversation. "Does wearing a white mask automatically make someone the Smiling Demon? We aren't people from the Demonic Cult."
"Then who are you?"
"A ninety-year-old fossil is throwing a tantrum to cling to his youth," Geom Mu-geuk replied coolly. "So King Yama told me to come fetch him. That man is going to have to suffer in hell for the next ninety thousand years."
Geom Mu-geuk scanned the rest of the group, his eyes sharp. "The rest of you sentient beings look like you've committed plenty of sins as well. How about it? Why don't you join him on the boat to the underworld? There happen to be six seats left."
Ya Yul-han’s expression remained a mask of stone, but his eyes grew frigid. "Indeed. If you have the skill to kill the Five Thunders Divine Sword, you've earned the right to be this arrogant."
Ya Yul-han was no fool; he would not send his subordinates out one by one to be picked off. These were men who had slain a master and his top disciple.
He stepped forward and commanded, "Kill them with a combined attack!"
The six masters instantly fell into a lethal formation.
Geom Mu-geuk felt a premonition. This would be the most difficult fight of his life, spanning both his past and his present after regression.
He drew his Black Demonic Sword with a fluid, lethal motion.
"Fine. If the world cannot kill you, then we will."
The Smiling Demon’s eyes burned with a manic blue light. He was a man who grew more crazed the stronger his enemies were. He looked at Geom Mu-geuk and said, "One more time!"
Geom Mu-geuk understood exactly what he meant. Without a word, he thrust his Black Demonic Sword forward.
Clang!
The sound this time was different—not a light ring, but a deep, resonant vibration. Just as their enemies had changed and the bond between the two allies had evolved, their resonance spread outward, shaking the air.
Both sides began to stride toward each other.
In this moment, not a single person gathered there felt a shred of fear.
*
Go Wol, who had been attempting to eat, suddenly bolted outside and retched, throwing up everything he had consumed.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader followed him out and patted his back with a sigh. "It's my fault for forcing you to eat."
Since yesterday, Go Wol had been so tightly wound that he hadn't eaten a thing, prompting the Cult Leader to force a meal on him.
"Cult Leader, I want to hear the sound of the Sound Thunder Bell."
At Go Wol's words, the Pungcheon Cult Leader snapped at him, though his tone lacked real bite. "Aren't you sick of it? You were bound to that bell for so long!"
The Pungcheon Cult Leader still carried a heavy conscience regarding that matter.
"I'm not saying this to make you feel bad," Go Wol whispered. "I really just want to hear it. Listening to the Sound Thunder Bell always made my heart feel a bit more at ease."
"It's not because you want to talk to the demons engraved on the bell, is it?"
"I do miss them a little."
"Dream on. You'll never see or hear them again."
Ssssh.
The surroundings blurred and shifted. Suddenly, the two found themselves standing in a vast, open field. The Cult Leader had used the Space-Time Displacement Technique to bring Go Wol to the landscape he loved most.
"I wasn't planning on coming here anymore," Go Wol remarked.
"Then why did you open the path?"
"Because you seemed too anxious." The Pungcheon Cult Leader looked up at the distant sky. "They must be in the thick of it by now, right?"
"Most likely."
"Should I go and help?"
Go Wol shook his head. "Leave it to them. This is their fight."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader stared at the horizon. "It's a fight between three people."
"What do you mean?"
"You're fighting right now too, aren't you? Even starving yourself for it."
"If you put it that way, isn't the Cult Leader fighting as well?" Go Wol countered. "And the Poison King, the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master, and Investigator Seo. Even the people waiting in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. We're all fighting together."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader spoke up abruptly, his voice firm. "Don't worry. My disciple won't lose."
"Disciple?"
"There's such a thing." The Pungcheon Cult Leader suddenly shouted at the empty air, as if Geom Mu-geuk were standing right in front of him. "You brat! You took so much of my stuff, you'd better not lose! Don't you dare die!"
He had even passed down the Time Heaven Secret Technique, after all.
He had joked around to lighten Go Wol's mood, but the younger man remained consumed by worry. Go Wol looked at the brilliantly clear sky and the vast, peaceful field.
"Will a day of peace ever come to the Murim, like it is here?"
"Absolutely not!"
"Why?"
"Because you'd be the first one to lose your job."
Finally, Go Wol let out a genuine laugh. In a situation where he couldn't even swallow water, the man had managed to make him smile. Fine, Cult Leader, you win.
"It's going to be a long day."
*
Ya Yul-han and his men utilized a combined attack, but they didn't let it devolve into a chaotic brawl.
They moved as a single unit, fighting with the coordination of a single mind. They judged that they held the numerical and tactical advantage and refused to create any openings for variables to arise.
Because of this, Geom Mu-geuk decided he had to kill Ya Yul-han first. He was the tactical core; if the leader fell, the morale and coordination of the rest would crumble.
The problem was that if Geom Mu-geuk lunged for Ya Yul-han, the other five would likely ignore him and gang up on the Smiling Demon instead of helping their leader.
Could the Smiling Demon withstand the combined assault of five masters? And if so, for how long? The primary concern was the unknown strength of the triplets.
Whirrrrrrrr!
The first to strike was the Blood Wheel Calamity. The Blood Wheel he threw whistled through the air, hurtling toward Geom Mu-geuk with terrifying momentum.
It was massive, yet incredibly fast.
The power loaded into the Blood Wheel was so immense that it couldn't be parried with a sword or internal energy alone. While the Black Demonic Sword wouldn't break, it was far too inefficient to meet that heavy, spinning mass head-on.
Whir-whir-whir!
As if it were a living predator, the Blood Wheel curved through the air and attacked again.
When Geom Mu-geuk dodged to the left, the wheel shifted its trajectory mid-flight, tracking his movement. He hurriedly twisted his body in the opposite direction, and the Blood Wheel grazed past his face. The blades attached to the wheel were incomparably sharp, capable of slicing through a human torso like parchment.
Retrieving the wheel, the Blood Wheel Calamity spoke mockingly. "Soon, you'll be dancing to the rhythm of the Blood Wheel."
He meant he could manipulate the wheel's path entirely at his whim.
In a situation like this, one shouldn't waste energy dodging the projectile but should instead kill the man controlling it.
The problem was that they expected that move.
Ping!
The one who blocked the Blood Calamity Finger aimed at the Blood Wheel Calamity was the First Evil. The Second and Third Evils were clustered nearby, protecting the old man. They were waiting for the perfect opening to launch their own combined strike.
Watching the First Evil's movements, Geom Mu-geuk was reminded of Sa Hyo. Their skill was on par with the disciple of the Five Thunders Divine Sword—which meant there were three Sa Hyos. Furthermore, as triplets, their coordination was flawless. They were no ordinary foes.
Geom Mu-geuk made an instinctive decision. If Ya Yul-han was out of reach, he would strike while they assumed they weren't his primary targets.
— Let's kill the triplets first.
— Understood.
The Smiling Demon followed Geom Mu-geuk's lead without a second thought.
Whirrrrrrrr!
The Blood Wheel flew in for a second pass. The moment it grazed past and began its return arc, Geom Mu-geuk charged toward the First Evil.
Rumble!
Simultaneously, the Smiling Demon unleashed his Demon Extreme Wild Rage Palm.
The target was Geom Mu-geuk's back as he charged!
It was as if Geom Mu-geuk were leading the Demon Extreme Wild Rage Palm behind him like a commanding general leading a tidal wave.
The First Evil was caught off guard, never expecting such an unorthodox, suicidal-looking attack. Moreover, because Geom Mu-geuk's body blocked his line of sight, he momentarily froze, unable to see the palm force trailing behind the swordsman.
Clang!
In the brief moment their swords clashed, the Demon Extreme Wild Rage Palm swept over the area.
Geom Mu-geuk used Blink Step to escape the blast radius, lunging toward the Second Evil on the right.
The First Evil, who had been occupied with Geom Mu-geuk, threw himself to the left a beat too late.
The Black Demonic Sword slashed toward the Second Evil.
Flash!
It was the Fifth Form of the Flying Heaven Sword Technique, the fast sword style: Azure Heaven Form.
Clang!
The sound of colliding steel rang out!
The one who blocked the Azure Heaven Form was Ya Yul-han. He had realized Geom Mu-geuk's intention to kill the Second Evil while the First was reeling.
Their gazes met between their locked blades. A bone-chilling cold that seemed to freeze the very soul flowed from Ya Yul-han's sword. The sword art he practiced was the Primordial Spectral Sword Art, fueled by Extreme Yin Internal Energy.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Sword lights flashed like lightning as their blades traded blows.
"Agh!"
At that moment, a single scream pierced the air. It was the First Evil.
While Ya Yul-han had successfully prevented Geom Mu-geuk from killing the Second Evil, the Smiling Demon had succeeded in killing the First.
Because Geom Mu-geuk had vanished with Blink Step, the First Evil—who had reacted a moment too late to the hidden palm force—had his arm torn off by the Demon Extreme Wild Rage Palm. The Smiling Demon hadn't missed that opening, relentlessly pressing the attack until he finished him off.
With his death, the Second and Third Evils went into a frenzy.
Swish! Swish!
Sword Qi flew in rapid succession toward the Smiling Demon. The stable formation had collapsed, and the chaotic melee Geom Mu-geuk wanted had finally begun.
The fiercely loyal Cha Hwan jumped into the fray to assist Ya Yul-han. He thrust his sword toward Geom Mu-geuk's back, but Geom Mu-geuk used that attack as a springboard. As he dodged the rear assault and the three swords momentarily became entangled—
He unleashed the Dark Shadow Step. In an instant, Geom Mu-geuk vanished from the sight of both Ya Yul-han and Cha Hwan. It was the power of the Wind God Four Steps, brought to Great Achievement.
In the moment Ya Yul-han braced himself, thinking he was the target—
Geom Mu-geuk was already stabbing someone else in the back.
It was the Second Evil, who had been charging madly at the Smiling Demon. For this single move, he had used Dark Shadow Step and Underworld King Step in succession. In this moment, Geom Mu-geuk had become the god of wind.
Swooooosh!
Once again, the Azure Heaven Form was unleashed. This time, Ya Yul-han was too far to block.
Slice!
The Second Evil's back was cleaved in two. He died instantly.
Meanwhile, the Smiling Demon was firing a barrage of Finger Wind at the Third Evil.
Ping! Ping!
The Smiling Demon's Blood Calamity Finger was joined by Geom Mu-geuk's powerful Sword Qi. It was the Fourth Form of the Flying Heaven Sword Technique, the Sword Qi emission style: Blazing Heaven Form.
After firing the Sword Qi, Geom Mu-geuk spun around and surged his Body Protection Qi to its limit.
The incoming Blood Wheel struck him squarely in the chest.
BOOM!
Skid!
Geom Mu-geuk was pushed back by the sheer force of the Blood Wheel before being sent tumbling across the ground.
"I got him!" the Blood Wheel Calamity let out a triumphant shout. "You damn brat! How dare you act so cocky in front of me!"
The Smiling Demon leaped through the air and landed protectively in front of Geom Mu-geuk.
The Blood Wheel Calamity smiled victoriously. "He's already dead. No one who has been hit by the Blood Wheel has ever survived—"
The Blood Wheel Calamity suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Like a ghost rising from the grave, Geom Mu-geuk slowly pushed himself up from the ground.
"Well, here's a survivor for you."
The Smiling Demon turned his head, asking with his eyes: Are you alright?
Geom Mu-geuk massaged his chest and nodded. His chest felt tight and bruised, as if his ribs might burst, but fortunately, he had avoided fatal internal injuries. Between the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art, the Ghost Guard Robe, the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread, and his own Body Protection Qi, even the Blood Wheel hadn't been enough to kill him.
The Smiling Demon's arm was drenched in blood. While dealing with the Three Evils, he had nearly had his arm severed by a blast of Sword Qi from Ya Yul-han. Judging by the flow, the wound was deep.
This time, Geom Mu-geuk asked with his eyes if he was okay, and the Smiling Demon nodded.
On the other hand, thanks to the risks the two had taken, the Three Evils now lay as corpses on the ground. They hadn't been able to dodge the simultaneous assault of the Blood Calamity Finger and the Blazing Heaven Form.
Though they had sustained injuries, they had eliminated the biggest variables in this fight.
The most shocked person present was the Blood Wheel Calamity. He couldn't believe that someone could take a head-on hit from his Blood Wheel and remain standing.
"You... who are you?" His voice trembled.
He wasn't the only one in shock. Cha Hwan was also staring at Geom Mu-geuk with eyes full of horror. The footwork that allowed him to vanish instantly before his and Ya Yul-han's eyes was one thing, but he couldn't believe the Three Evils—whom he had feared and trusted—were dead.
The Three Evils are dead? Those terrifying monsters? Those demonic triplets?
He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that the corpses strewn on the ground were actually them. But the techniques his opponent had just displayed were the kind of attacks that even ten Evils would have succumbed to.
For the first time, emotion appeared on Ya Yul-han's face.
When the battle didn't go according to his plan, the corners of his mouth curled up into a self-deprecating, bitter sneer.
Geom Mu-geuk lowered his Black Demonic Sword, which was dripping with blood, and spoke to him.
"That's right. Life is about having to wear a bitter smile several times a day. But you've lived far too comfortably until now, haven't you?"