Chapter 517: If You Planned to Touch the Demonic Cult Leader
Chapter 517: If You Planned to Touch the Demonic Cult Leader
Geom Mu-geuk and Geom Wu-jin shared a silent look.
Watching that gaze, where words were unnecessary to understand one another’s hearts, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon felt a sudden pang of envy toward the Cult Leader. He had never once envied the man for his position, but now, he felt a deep jealousy for him as a ‘father.’
As a martial artist, if a son said he wanted to watch his father fight, wouldn't any father be more than willing to show him?
Geom Wu-jin’s gaze shifted back toward the enemies. Though he said nothing, the cold light in his eyes served as his silent answer.
Geom Mu-geuk surveyed the opposition alongside him.
Two were dead, but ten remained—plus Gyo Cheon. They were not opponents to be taken lightly. There were more masters of the previous generation here than of the current one. Furthermore, these were men who had committed every manner of slaughter and evil; their combat experience surpassed almost anyone else's. Then there was Gyo Cheon, who had nursed a lifelong grudge.
However, Mu-geuk wasn't worried.
Could Father really be in danger?
His father was the man said to possess the greatest martial talent among all the Heavenly Demons in history. Moreover, he had recently reached an even higher realm of martial arts. This meant the power of his Nine Calamities Demonic Art would be far beyond what it was before the regression. The Dark Flash he had shown earlier was proof enough of that.
You bastards are in for a rough time.
Mu-geuk decided to relay a final piece of news to his father.
“By the way, I’ve settled the issue with the Orthodox Faction. Since the misunderstanding is cleared, they will assume that whatever happens in Chongqing is not our doing.”
He spoke loudly on purpose, ensuring Gyo Cheon heard every word. He wanted to prevent Gyo Cheon from attempting any more petty tricks if the fight turned against him.
Gyo Cheon’s expression stiffened, while his father gave a slight, satisfied nod.
The one who was even happier than his father was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“Well done.”
This entire incident had started because of his own master. Geom Mu-geuk had resolved it before it could escalate into the catastrophe of a Great Demonic-Orthodox War.
Following Mu-geuk’s news, the atmosphere among Gyo Cheon and the other masters grew even heavier. No one dared to run their mouth recklessly like the Soul-Searching Vajra or Seongra Yeomgun had.
Gyo Cheon tried to bolster their flagging morale.
“The two who fell earlier were caught by a surprise attack! Do not be shaken!”
But everyone present knew the truth. Even Gyo Cheon, who had shouted the words, knew it. That strike had nothing to do with a surprise attack. Even if the Demonic Cult Leader had announced his attack in advance, would they have been able to block it?
Having seen the bodies of Seongra Yeomgun and the Soul-Searching Vajra sliced apart before they could even lift a finger, no one could confidently claim they could have stopped it.
However, as Gyo Cheon had suggested when they died, such a devastating technique surely consumed a massive amount of internal energy.
We have to make him exhaust his energy.
And then, a new variable had entered the fight: the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Was this a gain or a loss? From a negative perspective, it meant there was one more master they had to kill. From a positive perspective, it meant they had a hostage—a perfect hostage who shared the Demonic Cult Leader’s blood.
They had heard rumors that the Young Cult Leader’s skills were extraordinary, but surely he couldn't compare to the monster that was Geom Wu-jin.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the Giryeon Demoness and the Black Emperor, who had originally intended to step forward first. The original numbers one and two had now become numbers three and four.
“Let’s all attack together!”
No one moved at the Giryeon Demoness’s suggestion. In truth, she had made the suggestion without expecting anyone to follow it. She wouldn't have stepped forward herself, after all.
The Black Emperor and the Giryeon Demoness exchanged looks. Even without using Voice Transmission, the two knew how they had to lead this fight. They had to pour everything in from the start. If Geom Wu-jin unleashed the Nine Calamities Demonic Art again, they would die dog's deaths without even getting a chance to act. They had to launch a combined attack before that happened.
The Giryeon Demoness prepared her Claw Art, while the Black Emperor raised his sword.
The Black Emperor moved first. He kicked off the air and immediately unleashed sword qi toward Geom Wu-jin. The technique he used was the Black Heaven Strike, one of the forms he was most confident in from his unique Black Heaven Sword Technique.
Swa-ae-ak!
The sword qi descended like a bolt of lightning. Geom Wu-jin twisted his body to dodge the plunging energy.
Boom!
The sword qi struck the ground, leaving a deep gouge right next to his foot.
Swa-ae-ak! Boom! Swa-ae-ak! Crash!
Black Heaven Strikes fell in rapid succession, but Geom Wu-jin did not block them. Instead, he used his movement technique to weave through the gaps, a move designed to minimize the consumption of internal energy.
The Giryeon Demoness attacked simultaneously. Her fingernails had suddenly grown long and hideous, and a red light emanated from the sharp tips.
Chwa-aaaaak!
What extended from her nails looked like red threads. However, they were actually strands of gang qi called Blood Threads, capable of slicing through solid steel. She had unleashed the Spider Blood Thread, the strongest form of her Blood Thread Divine Art.
Her Blood Threads were special—they could extend straight like spears or flutter loosely like cloth, making them as unpredictable as they were powerful. The red lines spread out like a spiderweb, flying toward Geom Wu-jin.
The Black Emperor’s sword qi and the Giryeon Demoness’s Blood Threads converged. It was the moment he should have either raised his Body Protection Qi to block or unleashed his own sword qi to neutralize the attacks.
But Geom Wu-jin continued to dodge. Like a predator waiting for a single perfect moment, he conserved his internal energy and watched for an opening.
Geom Mu-geuk did not take his eyes off his father’s fight for even a second. His father did not fight for show. One might think he’d want to finish them off stylishly since his son was watching, but he didn't.
How can I kill all these enemies with the internal energy I have?
His father fought with cold, thorough calculation. He was a man who could have indulged in all sorts of flair and bravado if he wanted to, but chose efficiency instead.
What if a man like my father were my enemy? Just imagining it made Mu-geuk’s chest feel tight.
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pak!
Deep marks from the Blood Threads and sword qi were carved into the floor and walls. At first, the two attackers were pleased, thinking they had seized the momentum. If the two of them poured out attacks like madmen, surely one would eventually land a clean hit.
But as the assault continued, they grew increasingly anxious. Geom Wu-jin found gaps to slip through even amidst attacks that seemed impossible to dodge. The offense was flamboyant, but the steps taken to evade it were calm.
The Black Emperor, the Giryeon Demoness, and those watching probably thought it several times: There! It hit! We got him!
But it was an optical illusion; the attacks were missing by the narrowest of margins. Not a single strike could touch Geom Wu-jin’s body.
As he watched the fight, Geom Mu-geuk visualized it. How would he dodge? How would he respond? Because of this, he saw two figures. His own image was superimposed over his father’s.
Sometimes he moved exactly like his father; other times, his movements were slightly different. At certain moments, they moved in opposite directions before merging back into one.
I can't dodge this!
In his imagination, the version of himself overlapping with his father drew his sword to strike down the incoming gang qi. But his father’s movement was different. He used an unexpected footwork to evade the attack entirely.
Ah!
Every time his father found a path he hadn't seen, a thrill ran through Mu-geuk’s body. The learning provided by this difference didn't stop at simply realizing what he didn't know. Seeing a method he hadn't considered allowed him to think of yet another way.
If they weren't in this situation, he really wanted to ask his father: What do you think of this method? He would have loved to share a deep discussion on martial arts with him.
The enemies had tried to exhaust Geom Wu-jin’s internal energy, but instead, it was the two of them whose energy was being depleted at an alarming rate. At the peak of his desperation, the Black Emperor unleashed his hidden trump card.
Black Heaven Avici.
The blue sword qi erupting from the tip of the Black Emperor’s sword split into eight streams and flew toward Geom Wu-jin.
Swa-ae-ae-ae-ak.
The sword qi poured down, even cutting through the Giryeon Demoness’s Blood Threads. And this was the exact moment Geom Wu-jin had been waiting for.
The moment the Blood Threads were severed by the Black Emperor’s massive attack!
Geom Wu-jin lunged forward with explosive speed. He charged through the gap in the broken Blood Threads. His target was the Giryeon Demoness. The Black Heaven Avici should have hit Geom Wu-jin, but instead, it missed by a wide margin.
Shi-ik!
Closing the distance in an instant, Geom Wu-jin slashed the Giryeon Demoness.
He's fast!
The Giryeon Demoness pushed her internal power to the limit and desperately swung her claws.
Pa-aaak!
But her nails were sliced off. Then, without giving her time to dodge, Geom Wu-jin delivered a deep gash to her shoulder, sending blood spraying.
In that moment of crisis, the Black Emperor did not help her.
Why isn't he helping?
He must know that if she died, he would be next. Had he lost his nerve and fled?
Coward!
She couldn't block the third strike.
Pua-ak!
Cut halfway through her waist, she could no longer hold on and collapsed on the spot. Only then could she see the truth. The Black Emperor hadn't fled; he simply couldn't come to her aid.
Sa-aa-ak.
The Black Emperor was being surrounded and slaughtered. He was encircled by evil ghosts.
Nine Calamities Demonic Art, First Form: Annihilation Form.
Geom Wu-jin had just unleashed his Annihilation Form. When the evil ghosts first manifested, the Black Emperor felt as if his heart had stopped. They weren't just masses of gang qi in frightening shapes. An overwhelming demonic energy constricted him from all sides, disrupting the flow of his true qi.
He deployed his Body Protection Qi and used every ultimate technique he possessed, but it was useless.
Geom Mu-geuk watched. They were certainly larger and felt more solid than his own ghosts. Those four ghosts with terrifying faces were hacking the Black Emperor to pieces.
Slic! Slic! Slic! Slic!
It wasn't a single strike and then over. They continued to strike down as if they were alive. It meant that if the opponent survived the first blow, they could be subjected to a second or third round of butchery. It was distinctly different from the Annihilation Form Mu-geuk performed.
But that wasn't the real difference. Originally, Geom Wu-jin’s evil ghosts had no expressions. The fact that they looked different and possessed emotions was what made Geom Mu-geuk’s ghosts special.
But today’s ghosts were different. He felt a certain emotion in the way the ghosts looked at his father.
It’s different from back then!
The look in his father’s eyes as he watched them had also deepened. The Annihilation Form in actual combat—perhaps this was a change and a communion that his father was also experiencing for the first time.
Soon after, the four ghosts vanished completely. In the silence that followed, only the thick scent of blood filled the air. The surroundings were a mess. Countless marks remained on the floor and walls—the traces left by the Blood Threads and the Black Emperor’s sword qi. They were left like a spiderweb, more densely than the lines on a Go board.
How on earth did he dodge all that?
To the enemies, those were marks of failure; to Geom Wu-jin, they were marks of success. He hadn't even suffered a tear in his sleeve. And the moment a single opening appeared in his enemies, he never missed the opportunity.
Geom Wu-jin glanced at Geom Mu-geuk. His father’s gaze seemed to ask: The fight you said you wanted to see—are you watching it well?
Geom Mu-geuk answered with his eyes: Yes, I am seeing it clearly.
Mu-geuk looked at the enemies. Two more were dead, leaving eight. Then, Mu-geuk realized something. There should have been eight enemies, but there were only seven.
Where did one go?
At that exact moment, someone suddenly appeared right in front of him and thrust a sword.
Swa-ae-ae-ak!
It was the man with the entirely red face—the Red-Eyed Young Master. This technique of moving through space in an instant was his trump card, the Corridor Extreme Step. As a user of Fast Sword techniques, he possessed marvelous light body skills. He was confident. Now that he had struck first, his opponent would never be able to block it.
To kill the Demonic Cult Leader, I must take his child hostage!
Since killing wasn't his goal, his sword flew toward Geom Mu-geuk’s shoulder. He had heard rumors that the Young Cult Leader was formidable, but to him, he was still just a boy.
Clang!
But his sword was blocked. Surprisingly, the one who struck the sword away was Geom Wu-jin. Moving even faster than the Corridor Extreme Step, the light body technique that arrived in a flash was the Heavenly Demon Flight Technique.
“I knew it! I knew Father would save me.”
At Mu-geuk’s relaxed reaction, the Red-Eyed Young Master had a sudden doubt. Could it be? Did he intentionally not dodge because he knew he’d be saved?
That would be a realm even more shocking than dodging. But now was not the time for such thoughts. The Red-Eyed Young Master quickly launched a surprise attack on Geom Wu-jin.
Swa-ae-ae-ak!
Again, he struck first.
Clang!
But it was blocked again. Geom Wu-jin’s sword was just as fast as his Fast Sword.
“Thanks to you, I get to see Father’s fight from right next to him.”
The moment Mu-geuk finished speaking, Geom Wu-jin and the Red-Eyed Young Master’s swords clashed. Geom Mu-geuk did not step back; he watched the fight between the two like a pillar standing in place.
He wasn't worried about a stray sword hitting him. With swords moving that fast, if one of them diverted their attention elsewhere, their throat would be pierced by the opponent’s blade.
The two men's swords were so fast it created the illusion of dozens of swords being swung simultaneously. But they each held only one. The Black Demonic Sword seemed to overlap with the Heavenly Demon Sword. The two swords moved in unison, then diverged, then moved together again.
Even in the moment where Fast Swords too quick for the eye to follow were being exchanged, Geom Mu-geuk could see both his father’s sword and his own in his mind. He instinctively felt and learned the difference between the two swords. It was a speed his mind couldn't keep up with, but his heart could.
Father, I think we’ll have to pick a day and talk about today’s fight all night long.
That was how much he felt from his father’s combat. And he felt that if they talked all night, his father would surely gain a new achievement as well. Today’s realization was that profound.
As fast as their swords were, the result of the fight came quickly.
Slic!
With the sound of bone splitting, the fight ended. The result was as expected. The Red-Eyed Young Master clutched his chest and staggered back. Blood was pouring from between his fingers. He stumbled toward Geom Mu-geuk, who was standing nearby.
His eyes were full of resentment; he was dying because he had tried to take the boy hostage for nothing. He grabbed Mu-geuk’s collar. Mu-geuk let him do as he pleased.
“...You brat! I should have killed you.”
He fell to his knees but did not let go of the collar. Geom Mu-geuk looked down into his fading eyes. Then, he wiped the blood from the man's face with his hand and smeared it red across his own face.
“From now on, I’m the Red-Eyed Young Master. Why is an old man like you called a 'Young Master' anyway?”
Staring with a face full of rage, the Red-Eyed Young Master died right there. Geom Mu-geuk looked at Gyo Cheon and gave a smirk with his blood-stained face.
“I’m your Red-Eyed Young Master now, so don't even think about taking me hostage.”
Anger and absurdity flashed across Gyo Cheon’s face simultaneously.
“You madman.”
At that, Mu-geuk’s gaze toward him turned cold and sank deep.
“If you planned to touch the Demonic Cult Leader, you should have come here even crazier than me.”