Chapter 714: It Was Too Dark to See Clearly
Chapter 714: It Was Too Dark to See Clearly
Silence reigned.
No matter how fiercely the battle raged outside, Geom Mu-geuk heard nothing. He was currently immersed in a world of his own.
As he refined the essence of the Flying Blood Snake into internal energy, his mind was purged of everything save for the intricacies of cultivation and martial arts.
Normally, a trance was a serendipitous state achieved during dedicated practice or upon gaining profound enlightenment. However, he had entered this state while in the midst of absorbing the Flying Blood Snake’s energy. Perhaps it was because the refining process had been so volatile, or perhaps the energy itself was simply that immense.
Internal energy, more vast than any spirit medicine he had ever consumed, began to pool within his dantian. No matter how much he refined, there seemed to be no end to the deluge.
As a martial artist, could there be any greater joy?
Geom Mu-geuk struggled to ensure that not even a sliver of this celestial gift slipped away. It was a fated encounter brought about, ironically, by the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon piercing his heart.
And internal energy was not the only thing he gained from this ordeal.
First, through the process of seizing the Flying Blood Snake’s power, he had discovered entirely new blood paths. He could now circulate his qi in ways he had never considered, allowing him to execute his techniques with newfound efficiency.
His forms were now slightly faster, slightly stronger.
At Geom Mu-geuk’s realm, the phrase "slightly more" was enough to dictate the outcome of a battle several times over.
Furthermore, there was one more gain.
The ordeal of holding onto his consciousness until the very end while protecting his heart had been a monumental experience. Because the circumstances were so dire, the rewards were all the greater. It had been so grueling that even Geom Mu-geuk, a man more accustomed to enduring pain than anyone, had nearly succumbed to a heart demon.
By experiencing his absolute limits, Geom Mu-geuk had emerged more mature and significantly stronger. He could feel it instinctively. He had taken a giant step closer to the Great Achievement of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, a goal that had previously felt frustratingly vague.
He began to suspect that seeing the Heavenly Demon Soul while battling his heart demon had been no mere coincidence.
‘Ah, so this is how he felt. This is why Father entered closed-door training.’
He felt as if he could reach Great Achievement just by reaching out his hand. He only needed one final session of dedicated training.
Wooooong.
Thus, Geom Mu-geuk remained fully submerged in his own world, absorbing every last drop of the Flying Blood Snake’s energy.
*
Chwaaaaak.
The Smiling Demon flicked the blood from his dagger.
The Faceless Guests watched him finish off the bamboo-hatted warriors, their eyes filled with profound respect. In contrast, Hwa Do-myeong’s expression froze.
It had been a coordinated attack by two experts who had mastered the Dark Divine Art. He hadn't even considered the possibility of them losing; he had assumed that even if they died, they would at least inflict a fatal wound or, at the very least, exhaust the Smiling Demon’s internal energy.
However, not a single drop of blood stained the Smiling Demon’s pristine white mask. Now, that mask looked like the grin of a reaper.
The chilling aura of approaching death calmed Hwa Do-myeong’s mind. To face death, he realized he had to become just as terrifying. He lightly fluttered his fan and spoke.
"I am not someone you should touch recklessly."
A flash of contempt crossed the Smiling Demon’s eyes.
"Then did you think our Young Cult Leader was someone you could touch recklessly?"
Hwa Do-myeong had no retort. The Smiling Demon began to walk toward him with slow, measured steps.
"If you touch me, my family will surely hunt you down."
No threat could make the white, smiling death retreat.
"Then I must make sure to kill you myself. Before the Young Cult Leader wakes up."
It was the Smiling Demon’s resolve—he would ensure Geom Mu-geuk would not become a target for future revenge.
Hwa Do-myeong could feel the weight of that intent. The Smiling Demon was determined to end him. He no longer had a choice. Hwa Do-myeong pulled a small vial from his robes, uncapped it, and poured the contents over his face.
Swaaaa.
The liquid began to wash away his thick white makeup. This makeup had been the seal that kept his power in check. He had resolved to break the seal if necessary when he was injured earlier, but he hadn't truly expected to be pushed this far.
He had no choice. The Smiling Demon’s martial prowess was beyond imagination.
As the makeup washed away, his true face was revealed. It was covered in countless faint lines. There were the lines and circles that had appeared on the faces of the bamboo-hatted warriors when they invoked the Dark Divine Art, but there were many others as well.
It looked as if his face had been stitched together from mismatched pieces. Lines ran vertically, diagonally, and in chaotic patterns. There were recognizable shapes like whirlpools, and others that were completely indecipherable.
The fact that the lines were faint made it even more unsettling. They looked like wrinkles, yet also like scars. They were the stigmata of greed. Hwa Do-myeong had gained these side effects by being too covetous of power while learning the Dark Divine Art. He had worn the thick makeup specifically to hide these marks.
Saaaaak.
Now, those faint lines began to darken. The line crossing his cheek deepened, the circle overlapping it grew vivid, and the diagonal line beside it turned pitch black.
Watching this, the remaining Bamboo-Hat Man sent a frantic voice transmission.
— You mustn't overlap them like that!
Hwa Do-myeong replied with a low, cold transmission of his own.
— And if I don't? Should I just let the Smiling Demon kill me?
In that moment, every line on his face turned dark.
Chwaak.
He unfurled his fan, which had also transformed. It was now the Black Fan. The color had turned a void-like pitch black. Where a beautiful woman had once been painted, a terrifying evil spirit now loomed.
The change was not merely aesthetic. Hwa Do-myeong’s aura had completely transformed. Dark power flickered in his intensely glowing eyes.
"Now, hand over my Young Cult Leader!"
Chwaaaak!
The moment he snapped the fan open, gang qi swept through the spot where the Smiling Demon had been standing.
Papapapapapak!
Hwa Do-myeong appeared instantly in front of the Smiling Demon, who had leaped away. It was a sudden appearance, as if a ghost had manifested from thin air. If the Dark Ghost Movement Art used by the woman earlier was at the first stage, his was now at the third.
Swaaaek—Thud!
Struck by the fan, the Smiling Demon was pushed back. Hwa Do-myeong clung to him like a shadow.
Swaek! Swaaaek!
Hwa Do-myeong used the folded Black Fan to strike rapidly at the Smiling Demon’s vital points. The fan was as sharp and powerful as a legendary sword. As Hwa Do-myeong thrust the fan faster and faster, the three lines used for the Dark Ghost Movement Art began to turn a bruised red.
The lines turning red was a danger signal, indicating that he was drawing upon power far beyond his capacity. However, Hwa Do-myeong only increased his speed. The third stage of the Dark Ghost Movement Art surpassed even the Smiling Demon’s reflexes.
Thud!
The Smiling Demon allowed another hit. It was a blow powerful enough to shatter a shoulder blade if not for his Body Protection Qi. As the Smiling Demon staggered back, Hwa Do-myeong lunged, sensing an opening.
Shuk!
A surprise finger wind shot toward Hwa Do-myeong’s face.
Thud!
Hwa Do-myeong barely managed to block it by twisting his fan. A moment later, and his forehead would have been pierced. Enraged, Hwa Do-myeong launched a counterattack.
Hwooooooooong!
A gale erupted. It was no ordinary wind, but the Dark Turbulence—a vortex infused with invisible gang qi. The Smiling Demon activated his Body Protection Qi and threw himself aside.
Srrrng.
The trees behind him weren't smashed; they were silently sliced through as they fell. The wind was a silent assassin.
Srrrng, srrrng!
The wind pursued the Smiling Demon wherever he dodged, slicing through trees and boulders alike. This time, the pattern representing the Dark Turbulence turned red. The more he pushed himself, the more damage he dealt to his own body, but Hwa Do-myeong did not stop. Truly, if his opponent hadn't been the Smiling Demon, he would never have pushed himself to this suicidal brink.
Hwirururururu!
Hwa Do-myeong spun rapidly in place. As the lines of the Dark Ghost Movement Art grew redder, the whirlpool pattern on his face began to darken further.
Hwiruru! Hwirurururu!
A dozen smaller whirlpools branched out from the main vortex. These weren't just gusts of wind; they were powerful whirlpools of gang qi that could crush flesh and bone with a mere graze. He had unleashed the Dark Rotating Wheel, one of the most devastating techniques of the Dark Divine Art.
The whirlpools pursued the Smiling Demon as if they were living creatures. The Smiling Demon fled at high speed, firing a Blood Calamity Finger at the central vortex.
Shuk!
Unable to penetrate the rotating momentum, the Blood Calamity Finger was deflected. He followed up with a Demon Extreme Wild Rage Palm, but that too was repelled. Since the attacks were deflected in random directions, he couldn't even attack recklessly without risking the surroundings.
Hwirurururururu!
The whirlpools were gradually growing larger. At this rate, the area where Geom Mu-geuk was sitting would be caught in the destruction. That was exactly what Hwa Do-myeong intended. He knew the Smiling Demon would eventually show an opening in his panic to protect his master.
Just as the small whirlpools were closing in on the Smiling Demon from all sides, the Smiling Demon’s figure soared into the air. The small whirlpools all surged toward Geom Mu-geuk simultaneously.
The Smiling Demon’s target was the central vortex—specifically, the very top. Indeed, there was no whirlpool there.
Looking down at Hwa Do-myeong, who stared up with a shocked face from the center of the vortex below, the Smiling Demon struck.
Kwakwakwakwakwang!
The Smiling Demon unleashed the Demon Extreme Wild Rage Palm directly into the center.
Kwaaaaang!
The whirlpool exploded with a tremendous roar. When the dust settled, Hwa Do-myeong was revealed.
Gush.
He coughed up a thick spray of blood, his face now completely covered in dark red lines. He had overexerted himself again while maintaining the Dark Rotating Wheel. His face contorted in agony. He was pushing himself too hard.
But he had no choice. Even when he pushed himself to the brink of death, the Smiling Demon remained alive and continued to charge. Hwa Do-myeong summoned his final strength.
Shik-shik-shik-shik-shik!
The fan and dagger flew rapidly, seeking to pierce the opponent. More red lines appeared on Hwa Do-myeong’s face. The fan opened and closed, thrusting and parrying. He moved like a flash of lightning.
Despite clearly having the advantage in speed, he could not catch the Smiling Demon. His power was not lacking either. Yet, he could not pin him down. He did not realize that there was something he could not keep up with: the Smiling Demon’s combat experience.
While Hwa Do-myeong had been obsessing over the Dark Divine Art to the point of ruining his own body, the Smiling Demon had been fighting life-and-death battles alongside Geom Mu-geuk. The Smiling Demon had already read Hwa Do-myeong’s attack patterns and habits.
Pu-ak!
The Smiling Demon’s dagger sliced Hwa Do-myeong’s arm, sending blood spraying. In that moment, Hwa Do-myeong saw it. Through the blood mist in the air, a white mask lunged forward to bury a dagger in his heart. The eyes behind that mask were smiling.
Just when he thought it was the end!
Hwaaaaak!
A sudden veil of darkness swallowed the Smiling Demon. The one who had manifested the veil was the last Bamboo-Hat Man. A thick black line was drawn across his forehead, with a red circle painted over it.
The Dark Barrier.
He had played his final trump card.
"I can't hold it for long."
He, too, vanished as if melting into the darkness.
Hwa Do-myeong couldn't hold out much longer either. His face was now completely saturated with red lines. He walked toward where Geom Mu-geuk was. He intended to kill all the Faceless Guests, suppress Geom Mu-geuk’s internal energy, and flee. It was his last chance to turn the tables.
The Faceless Guests exchanged glances. They knew all too well the power Hwa Do-myeong had displayed. Five Faceless Guests split to the left and right and dashed toward him. The other five lined up in front of Geom Mu-geuk. They injected their internal energy from the back to the front, concentrating it all into the person at the head of the line.
Hwa Do-myeong fanned his fan violently.
"Nuisances! Get out of my way!"
The gang qi unleashed from the fan flew toward the Faceless Guests with terrifying force.
Swaaaaaaaaaek!
The Faceless Guest at the front thrust out a palm to block the gang qi.
Kwaaaaang!
It was an attack that shook the very earth, but because the internal energy of five people had been combined, they managed to hold their ground.
Urgh.
When the first Faceless Guest coughed up blood from internal injuries, the one behind him immediately took his place, sending the injured comrade to the back.
Meanwhile, the five Faceless Guests who had dashed forward—Crescent Moon, Spider, Cloud, Wolf, and Flame—attacked him from all sides. If he hadn't been exhausted from his fight with the Smiling Demon, he would have easily won using the Dark Divine Art. But his body was failing, and he was desperate.
Thud!
Flame was hit by an attack and tumbled across the ground. Crescent Moon flew over, caught him, and rolled with him to avoid the follow-up. Hwa Do-myeong tried to ensure he killed at least one of them, but the other Faceless Guests wouldn't let him.
Shuk! Shuk! Shuk! Shuk! Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!
The Faceless Guests fired finger winds simultaneously. Unable to block them all, the attacks embedded themselves in his Body Protection Qi.
As the fight dragged on, Hwa Do-myeong became even more agitated. His face turned a shade of red that looked ready to burst. He had reached his absolute limit.
Hwa Do-myeong unleashed one final move. He simply pushed forward, tanking the Faceless Guests' attacks. He pushed the Dark Iron Body Divine Art to its absolute limit. The three red circles on him glowed as crimson as blood.
Kang! Ka-ang! Ka-aaang! Kang!
Neither finger winds nor daggers could pierce him. Hwa Do-myeong shoved aside the Faceless Guests blocking his path and charged straight ahead.
‘I’ve got him!’
Just as Hwa Do-myeong leaped to snatch Geom Mu-geuk...
Puuuuuk!
The sound of tearing flesh was followed by a sudden, heavy silence. Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Hwa Do-myeong looked down at his chest.
A dagger was buried there.
A black circle hung in the air, and an arm had reached out from it to stab him.
Ssssssss.
The black circle from which the arm emerged grew larger until a person stepped out. It was the Smiling Demon. In his other hand, he held the severed head of the last Bamboo-Hat Man.
The Smiling Demon had broken through the Dark Barrier. As he emerged, the surrounding darkness vanished.
Hwa Do-myeong spoke with great difficulty, his face a mess of red lines. He still wanted to live. If he survived, he believed he could one day have his revenge.
"If you spare me..."
Before he could offer his terms, the Smiling Demon cut him off.
"It was too dark to see clearly."
After uttering those cryptic words, the Smiling Demon swiftly pulled the dagger from Hwa Do-myeong’s chest and plunged it directly into his heart.
Puk!
Hwa Do-myeong died instantly and collapsed.
The Smiling Demon tossed the head he was holding next to Hwa Do-myeong’s corpse. It was the moment every enemy present met their end.
The Smiling Demon looked back at his subordinates. He said nothing, but his eyes spoke for him: You all did well.
Then, he sat down in front of Geom Mu-geuk. Since he had been there when the Young Cult Leader closed his eyes, he wanted to be the first thing he saw when he opened them. He knew better than anyone how hard Geom Mu-geuk had worked to get to this point.
"Do not worry about a thing; please sleep well."
The Faceless Guests scattered around the perimeter. Some treated their own wounds, while others tended to their comrades. One Faceless Guest leaned against a tree and fell asleep, while another stood on a branch of that same tree, gazing out at the distant forest. Another crouched on the ground, looking up at the moon.
In that place filled with corpses and blood flowing like a river, they all rested quietly, waiting for Geom Mu-geuk to wake.