Fangs in the Dark
It was early morning. The first rays of sunlight were only just stretching across the horizon, and droplets of dew still clung to the tips of grass blades as a group of travelers ascended Mount Huang.
It was the search party.
Had things gone according to plan, they would already have been on their journey home. But the suspicious cavern discovered by the Zhuge Clan had upended their entire schedule.
"Perhaps it is time you gave us a proper explanation," Hong Jong said, addressing Zhuge Min, who was leading the party.
The discovery had come so abruptly that they had yet to hear the full story.
"I would if I could, but there is truly nothing more to tell," Zhuge Min replied. "What I shared earlier is the sum total of what we know."
While scouting the vicinity of Mount Huang just in case, they had stumbled upon the suspicious cavern and immediately alerted the others.
"And what made you deem it suspicious?"
"We identified markings of the Demonic Cult."
"Hmph!"
The Demonic Cult.
The moment that name left his lips, every face hardened.
"Yoma was affiliated with the Demonic Cult," someone muttered. "That alone warrants making a fuss."
"Even without Yoma, that name would demand no less."
Such was the dread that the mere mention of the Demonic Cult commanded across the Central Plains.
"What was inside?"
"We do not know. As soon as we spotted the emblem, we pulled back."
"A wise choice. If that place truly has ties to those demonic bastards, it is bound to be vile beyond measure."
Before long, the party reached the cavern. Much like Yoma's hideout, it had a modest opening gaping wide in plain view.
Namgung Su clicked his tongue in disgust. "To think a cavern lies in such a conspicuous spot, yet not a single villain's lair could be found until now."
"Are you aiming that remark at us?" Mo Seok-heon's voice took on a sharp, belligerent edge.
"Do you have a guilty conscience?"
"I will tell you once more: Mount Huang is vast. Even we cannot account for every inch of it. Do you have any idea how many caves riddle this mountain? Are you suggesting we should have inspected every last one of them?"
"Even so, this makes two separate traces of demonic cultists uncovered on Mount Huang. If you cannot manage it, you shouldn't claim it as your domain."
"Ah, so you were merely berating yourselves for failing to realize Seo Won-gil was running amok right under your noses? My mistake. Here I thought you were presumptuously casting blame on us."
"...What did you say?"
"Your ear canals appear functional enough. Did you fail to hear me?"
"...Gentlemen, please desist."
How many times had he intervened by now?
Won Jin pressed a hand to his throbbing temples. It felt as though decades of Buddhist spiritual cultivation were unraveling before his eyes, and he longed desperately for the serene, resonant chime of the wooden fish bells back at the Shaolin Temple.
Still, it was fortunate that their vicious barbs remained confined to a war of words rather than escalating into actual bloodshed.
The search party stepped into the cavern.
Unlike Yoma's previous hideout, this cavern ran deep. The entrance had appeared entirely natural, but as they ventured further inside, an unmistakably artificial atmosphere began to permeate the damp air.
Painted boldly across the rock wall was a single, sprawling insignia.
"Ha! It truly is the emblem of the Demonic Cult."
"To think those demonic bastards have stretched their claws all the way here."
"Yet how could they have reached so deep into our territory?"
"How could anyone fathom the minds of such cockroaches? It is hardly the first or second time they have burrowed into shadows to sow chaos."
People nodded in grim agreement at Mo Seok-heon's words.
Namgung Yun, on the other hand, felt a surge of profound irritation.
What worthless bastard ascended to the seat of Heavenly Demon after I died for people to speak of us like that?!
In his past life, he had always prioritized head-on clashes and honest contests of sheer might. Yet now, the magnificent Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was being treated like a wretched den of vermin that only knew how to spin cowardly schemes in the dark. Whoever was responsible, Yun wanted nothing more than to hammer his fists into the fool's temples until they caved in.
"Even so, if this place was truly constructed by the Demonic Cult, it will be anything but simple," someone cautioned. "Let us proceed with care."
The search party delved deeper.
With every step, more demonic traces emerged along the walls and floor. Observing them, the others grew increasingly convinced that this subterranean complex was indeed the work of the Demonic Cult.
Namgung Yun, however, was the lone exception.
This... doesn't feel like the Divine Cult's work at all.
The more traces he examined, the stronger his skepticism grew. While symbols representing the Heavenly Demon and the Divine Cult were indeed carved here and there, that was where the resemblance ended. There was nothing else of substance. Worse still, the execution was remarkably clumsy.
It feels like an illiterate person tracing calligraphy without understanding a single stroke.
The crude artist had captured the superficial features well enough, which was why none of the others questioned its authenticity. But Yun himself had once been the absolute sovereign of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. To an outsider, those markings might look like arbitrary lines, but to a true disciple of the Cult, every straight stroke, every curve, and every intentional fray carried profound martial meaning.
Yet the insignia before him disregarded all of that nuance entirely.
If so... who on earth actually built this place?
It was only natural that his gaze drifted suspiciously toward Mo Seok-heon and the martial artists of the Anhui Mo Clan.
"A fork in the path."
And not just an ordinary fork—six separate tunnels branched off into the dark.
"Shall we try the leftmost one first?"
"Mmm, that seems wisest."
"Given the high probability that demonic hands touched this place, we cannot afford to be too careful."
Consensus was reached without a shred of resistance.
Once again, Yun frowned.
Since when does everyone agree so easily?
This search party had bickered over every single triviality since the expedition began. Yet now—or rather, ever since stepping foot inside this cavern—decisions were made with uncanny harmony. Were they simply avoiding friction because they were in potential enemy territory?
Even so, the conflicts were always between the Namgung Clan and the Anhui Mo Clan.
Which meant either one side, or both, had suddenly grown docile.
It's the Anhui Mo Clan bastards.
From the moment they entered this tunnel, they had fallen remarkably quiet. It took two hands to clap; with the Mo Clan holding their tongues, Namgung Su had nothing to bite back against.
Under normal circumstances, one would assume they're keeping quiet because now isn't the time to squabble...
Yet these so-called righteous sect members were secretly practicing demonic arts left behind by Yoma. Common sense hardly applied to them.
The only other reason to act like that is when you don't want to stand out and invite suspicion.
People tended to shrink into the background when they had something to hide.
"Grrrk!"
"Hm?"
"What was that sound?"
An alien rasp scraped against their heightened senses.
"It doesn't sound human. A mountain beast, perhaps?"
"It wouldn't be surprising if one made its den here."
None of them showed any sign of tension. Every martial artist present was capable of wielding internal energy; whether it was a tiger or a wolf, ordinary predators posed no threat. Sharp fangs and claws could never withstand blades infused with qi, nor could the agile body of a wild beast keep pace with a seasoned martial artist.
Yet what emerged from the shadows was no beast.
Thud. Thud.
"Wait... those footsteps belong to a person..."
The source of the sound stepped into view.
Despite the cavern's pitch-black darkness, the search party—composed entirely of First-rate masters and above—could make out the figure with relative clarity.
"...A human?"
"Ha! Whether one can even call such a thing human is debatable."
Its general silhouette certainly resembled that of a man. Yet peering out through a wild, matted mane of hair were bloodshot eyes burning with frenzy. Saliva dripped in thick cords from its bared teeth as it snarled like a rabid animal, making anyone deeply hesitant to acknowledge it as kin.
It was completely naked, stripped of every shred of decency.
By every metric, it was far closer to a beast than a man.
"Could this also be the handiwork of the Demonic Cult?"
"If so, it is truly pitiful. That would make them victims."
"And exceedingly dangerous ones at that."
Hong Jong drew the wooden club from his waist. "Whoever they may be, if they have been touched by demonic hands, they will not be gentle."
"One glance makes that painfully clear."
The others unsheathed their weapons in kind.
"KRAAAARGH!"
The beastman let out a deafening roar. Trapped within the enclosed stone chamber, the sound reverberated violently, grating so harshly on the ears that several martial artists grimaced.
Tap, tap!
It lunged forward with terrifying speed.
"Hup!"
Hong Jong shifted his weight through a fluid footwork pattern, slipping past the creature's feral swipe before snapping his staff in a counterstrike.
Whoosh!
The beastman leaped. Kicking hard against the ceiling, it rebounded through the air and landed lightly on the stone floor, putting distance between itself and Hong Jong.
"Its agility is roughly on par with a First-rate master."
Even so, it was no match for a Peak master like Hong Jong.
"Shall I capture it?"
Hong Jong's voice was calm and composed. Yet that composure vanished in the very next breath.
Swish!
"What—?!"
"How did it—?!"
Gasps of shock rippled through the party. The beastman that had been snarling at them only an instant earlier had vanished in the blink of an eye, as though the darkness itself had swallowed it whole.
"What on earth was that?"
"Ha! It moved like a ghost."
Yet that was merely a figure of speech; not a single martial artist actually believed in apparitions.
"A formation array."
"Indeed. It could be nothing else."
"When did we even step into it?"
Every member of this search party was a First-rate master or above, and many boasted decades of Jianghu experience. Yet not one among them had sensed crossing the threshold into a formation. That alone testified to the array's terrifying sophistication.
"Do the members of the Zhuge Clan happen to recognize this formation?"
Hong Jong's question was only natural. When it came to arrays and formations, who in the realm was more renowned than the Zhuge Clan?
Yet the faces of the Zhuge Clan martial artists darkened considerably.
"...We cannot tell."
"Tsk. The great name of the Zhuge Clan weeps today," Mo Seok-heon scoffed. "Why did you even bother coming if you are this useless?"
"We came to lend our strength against any lingering threat from Yoma!"
Finally, some backbone.
A true martial artist should speak up when provoked. Namgung Yun watched with a glimmer of expectation.
"Such bold claims should only be made after dispatching someone who has actually reached the Peak Realm," Mo Seok-heon retorted coldly.
"..."
And that's it?
Evidently, their spine didn't run that deep.
As the Zhuge Clan members bit their lips, flushed with humiliation and unable to utter another word, Mo Seok-heon jerked his chin toward the cavern walls.
"Hurry up and analyze the array. Isn't that the sole reason you were brought along?"
"..."
Swallowing their pride, the Zhuge Clan began surveying the surrounding rock faces. Not a single person offered them a helping hand. Not one.
Damn it, what a dilemma.
Should he step in or stay out? Would intervening count as an act of chivalry? Then again, Mo Seok-heon hadn't actually laid hands on them, so perhaps the time was not yet right. Or maybe, weak though they might be, martial artists who simply quailed in silence when insulted bore some of the blame themselves.
Just as Yun's mind was churning—
Boom!
From the impenetrable darkness, another beastman burst forth, lunging straight at a Zhuge Clan disciple who was examining the cavern wall.
"Insolent beast!"
Clang!
The ambushed Zhuge swordsman parried the feral strike, drawing his blade in a remarkably crisp arc that proved his martial training was far from lacking.
Yet it took mere moments for panic to paint his face.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Wh-What is this...?!"
Shockingly, the beastman was driving the Zhuge martial artist backward into a desperate defense.
"Ha! Can you not even handle a single beast?"
Clicking his tongue in disgust, Mo Seok-heon drew his saber. In the span of a single breath, he closed the distance and brought his heavy blade sweeping down.
Whoosh!
Yet his blade carved only empty air. The beastman had vanished once more.
"...A troublesome array."
And yet, the real onslaught had not even begun.
"Hm?"
"Look out!"
From the pitch-black shadows right beside the clustered group, another beastman tore into view.
"KYYYAAAH!"
Razor-sharp claws slashed toward the crowd.
Clang!
A martial artist of the Anhui Mo Clan managed to deflect the strike. But the assault did not stop there.
"KRAAAARGH!"
"Behind us!"
"There's another one!"
The true ambush had commenced.