The Corpse Demon's Legacy
"You... bastard?"
The Green Rust Ghost Devil didn't even spare a glance at his dead subordinates.
Before the hunt starting tomorrow night, he had needed a sacrifice to soothe his heated body.
Since there were about ten hostages, he had intended to kill one to quench his thirst.
But he never expected his decision to end like this.
"Where did you come from?"
While asking in a low voice, the Green Rust Ghost Devil's hands moved secretly.
"Your cowardice is as consistent as ever," a nonchalant voice replied.
Along with the indifferent voice, a sudden chill ran down the Green Rust Ghost Devil's spine.
Behind me?!
The moment he desperately tried to dodge the wind coming from behind—
Slash.
With a sickening sound, his right arm was cleanly severed from the shoulder.
"....!!"
Even a groan was a luxury.
Another gust of wind aimed for his left arm.
"Damn it!"
With a harsh curse, the Green Rust Ghost Devil rolled on the ground.
Whoosh!
At the same time, he quickly extended his left hand. Although he primarily used his right, his left hand was also highly skilled.
Of course, losing his arm so suddenly ruined his balance, but it was enough to buy a moment's distraction.
However, that was entirely his delusion.
Thud!
A crushing pain in his head prevented him from even groaning.
"Green Rust!"
"Get away from him!"
Two of the Ten Ghost Devils rushed forward, their voices urgent.
The sash of the Bewitching Bell Ghost Devil, infused with eerie demonic energy, fiercely targeted Yoo Sung's left arm.
"Die!"
While the Bewitching Bell Ghost Devil targeted the left, the remaining right side was the Heretic Way Ghost Devil's domain.
His saber let out a fierce howl, unleashing an ominous demonic Qi.
The Demonic Spirit Saber Technique.
The basic saber technique used by the demonic humans of Matian who possessed Demonic Spirits.
But when the Heretic Way Ghost Devil used it, its power was on another level.
A vicious saber devil who had devoured hundreds of Demonic Spirits to fuel his demonic arts—that was the Heretic Way Ghost Devil.
Only three of the five are here.
Three of the five Ghost Devils Hyo-jin had mentioned stepped forward.
All of them were high-level Transcendental masters, formidable opponents for anyone else, but to Yoo Sung, they were nothing.
To the man who had defeated the Lord of Matian, these cheap imitations held no meaning.
However, it would be a different story if they set their minds on heading to Hojung.
Annihilation.
The martial artists might somehow survive, but the common folk of Hojung would all perish.
The power of the Ten Ghost Devils was that formidable, which was why Yoo Sung bothered to intervene.
The Red-Eyed one is inside.
Sensing the living demonic energy emanating from the Corpse Demon's tomb, Yoo Sung observed the three.
They were only furious at him, completely unaware of the anomaly inside the tomb.
Did he betray them?
A decision truly fitting for the Ten Ghost Devils.
Since they all progressed by devouring Demonic Spirits, they viewed each other as rivals—mere stepping stones to gain more power.
There was no such thing as camaraderie.
Faced with this truth once more, Yoo Sung waved his hand.
Whoosh.
A gentle breeze transformed into a razor-sharp blade, sweeping toward the three.
"....!!"
"Crazy bastard!"
"Why the hell are you here?!"
The Ten Ghost Devils, who would gladly feed on their own comrades for their goals, had coveted the legacy left by the Corpse Demon, only to die right before reaching it.
Yoo Sung watched indifferently as the three turned to ash and scattered, their eyes filled with bitter resentment. He paused for a moment.
"Hmm."
Those who had followed him were currently engaging the rest of the Ten Ghost Devils.
The Silver Spear Ghost Devil wouldn't go down easily, but with Hyo-jin there, they should be able to handle it.
Even if they couldn't, that was their responsibility.
"Let's see what he left behind."
Yoo Sung walked toward the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil, who was changing under the influence of whatever the Corpse Demon had left.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thick poison obstructed the view and stung the nostrils.
A single moment of carelessness would lead to a fatal mistake, turning one into a pool of blood.
The tomb, thoroughly steeped in the Corpse Demon's malice, was another living hell.
Navigating this hell with extreme caution was the red-haired, red-eyed devil: the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil.
After suggesting they raid Hojung tomorrow night, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil had slipped away in secret.
"I will grant you entry into the Corpse Demon's tomb."
Yeo Mi-ho's proposal had been sweet, but it was hard to agree to readily.
Betraying his fellow Ghost Devils without even knowing what lay inside the Corpse Demon's tomb carried too much risk.
"Comrades? Since when were the Ten Ghost Devils comrades?"
But even in the face of her mocking derision, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil had not bent his will.
"If it weren't for that..."
Beyond the thick poisonous fog, a single saber finally came into view.
Just looking at it sent a shiver down his spine. This blood-soaked demonic blade was undoubtedly a divine weapon of Matian.
"I can't live as a mere grunt forever."
Others feared the Ten Ghost Devils of Matian.
But within Matian, their utility was no different from that of the Demonic Spirits.
Hunting dogs raised on Demonic Spirits—that was the Ten Ghost Devils.
Slightly more useful and stronger than others, but still just hunting dogs.
Since his life could be discarded at any moment, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil desired a better future.
That was why he had risked everything to come to Sichuan after Matian fell.
At least the Three Demonic Travelers wouldn't treat him as a mere dog.
But that hope turned to disappointment when the Three Demonic Travelers vanished without a trace.
If the Silver Spear Ghost Devil hadn't found him just as he was about to leave Sichuan, followed by Yeo Mi-ho's arrival...
He probably would have left Sichuan and gone into hiding.
"...This is..."
Though its appearance differed slightly from the demonic saber in his memories, the mesmerizing demonic Qi captivated him.
Take it.
The voice whispering in his ear was both familiar and strange.
Had he known it was the voice of the Corpse Demon, he would never have laid a hand on the blade.
But blinded by greed, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil ignored his survival instincts and reached out.
Grip!
The moment his hand wrapped around the hilt, blood gushed from his seven orifices.
— Hahaha! Kill! Until the very moment your life ends! Kill and devour everything in this world!
The vicious malice of the Corpse Demon stimulated his brain. Already consumed by the demonic Qi, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil rolled his eyes back and swung the saber.
Boom! Crash!
The demonic Qi shattered the tomb, and the poison began to spread in all directions.
Roar!
Savoring the screams of the demonic humans outside, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil took a step forward.
Thud.
"My, what a persistent bastard."
If not for the voice coming from behind, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil would have truly become a puppet moving solely at the Corpse Demon's behest.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"What in the world...!"
"Did Yoo Sung really do this?"
Dang Hwa-young and Dang Hwa-soo were astonished as they looked at the ruined encampment of the Ten Ghost Devils.
The Four Tigers of Diancang were equally shocked.
"Just what kind of place is the Heavenly Sword Academy?"
At the question of the eldest, the Great Tiger of Diancang, Dang Hwa-young and Dang Hwa-soo found it difficult to answer.
The master of the Heavenly Sword Academy was an absolute expert close to the Transformation Realm, but his eldest son, Yoo Chan, was merely a Transcendental master.
Even then, with his dantian damaged, it was hard to view the academy's overall strength as overwhelmingly high.
Yet the results before their eyes weighed heavily on their minds.
"Didn't I tell you? He is strong, so there is no need to worry."
Hyo-jin, who arrived late, was also temporarily speechless at the carnage.
Ever since his days in the Vagabond Unit, he had recognized Yoo Sung's extraordinary talent and felt jealous. But that jealousy had quickly faded.
Once he realized it was a level of genius he could never hope to reach, he had easily given up.
The people before him would likely agonize over this for a while.
It's all futile anyway. The Demon Emperor's wind blows free and wild. Nothing can stop his path.
Soon, the Murim would learn of the Demon Emperor's true power.
The archenemy of Matian, the one who stood at the forefront of peace in the martial world.
However...
I don't know what kind of storm the petty and narrow-minded squabbles of the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions will bring.
One thing was certain: that conflict would not end quietly.
Well, it wasn't his concern.
He only wished to protect Hojung and live out the rest of his days in peace.
Crash!!!
"Everyone, pull yourselves together! It's starting now. The Ghost Devils are here!"
Led by the Silver Spear Ghost Devil, the remaining five Ghost Devils, whose whereabouts had been unknown, appeared.
Their fierce demonic Qi began to heavily dye the hills, reminding everyone of the terror the demonic humans of Matian commanded.
Thud!
"Focus!"
The Great Tiger of Diancang drew his sword, snapping the trembling Diancang martial artists out of their daze.
"Diancang does not fear demonic humans! We fight only to protect Hojung!"
As the Great Tiger offered his quiet encouragement, the Silver Spear Ghost Devil's eyes locked onto Dang Hwa-young and Dang Hwa-soo.
"Shall we bring this ill-fated relationship to an end?"
The cold demonic hand of the Silver Spear Ghost Devil reached toward them, signaling the true beginning of the war against the Ten Ghost Devils.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"How noisy."
At Yoo Sung's words, the half-mad Red-Eyed Ghost Devil flinched.
Growl.
Letting out a beastly growl, the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil swung his saber wildly, his appearance growing increasingly hideous.
It was the 'Flame of the Corpse Demon,' burning away his very life force to consume everything around him.
Befitting a vicious demon who had desecrated corpses, the demonic saber imbued with his malice had long since consumed the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil.
"I don't recall the Red-Eyed one being this foolish."
Among the Ten Ghost Devils, the most insidious was the Silver Spear Ghost Devil.
The strongest in martial prowess was the Black Smoke Ghost Devil.
The Red-Eyed Ghost Devil was an ambiguous figure, middling in both strength and intellect, but his survival instincts had always been top-notch.
For such a man to blindly covet the Corpse Demon's saber...
"And there's a strangely annoying energy here too."
The demonic Qi nestled in the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil's heart felt somewhat familiar, yet foreign.
"I'll just have to capture him and find out."
If he let this creature escape, the damage would be catastrophic.
Though it was a hassle, he had no choice but to subdue him personally.
Cackle!
The Red-Eyed Ghost Devil lunged at Yoo Sung, who dared to look down on him.
Swoosh!
The Corpse Demon's saber spewed a fierce poison, swallowing the surroundings.
Though he wielded a saber, the Corpse Demon's true specialty was poison.
Even the masters of the Tang Clan had been unable to properly resist his corpse poison.
Given the deep-seated grudge against the Corpse Demon, the Tang Clan's experts were likely on their way here as well.
In particular, the Poison King—the former clan leader and father of the current leader—would lose his mind at the mere mention of the Corpse Demon.
His own father had lost his life to the Corpse Demon's poison, so it was only natural.
Boom!
The Red-Eyed Ghost Devil's saber Qi fiercely cut through Yoo Sung's brief moment of contemplation.
The corpse poison drifting subtly within the Qi was also quite threatening.
However...
Whoosh.
The wind rising around Yoo Sung refused to let it pass.
The first form, named after a water fox, was imbued with the Changcheon Sword Emperor's determination to protect those around him.
Though defensive, it utilized various deceptive movements to mislead the opponent.
It incorporated the cunning of a shape-shifting fox to prevent the enemy from discerning who the true target of protection was.
While it appeared defensive at first glance, the version of Water Fox reconstructed by Yoo Sung was highly aggressive.
The fierce gaze of a fox hunting for an opening beneath the water deceived the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil's eyes, moving in secret.
Slash!
"....!!"
The Red-Eyed Ghost Devil's right arm was cleanly severed. As he frantically tried to turn, his legs lost all strength, and he collapsed.
Thud.
The struggling demonic Qi of the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil vanished powerlessly into the fox's tail, and Yoo Sung leisurely approached him.
"Now, let's see who started this little game with you."
Shiver.
Though demonic humans possessed a strong immunity to torture, Yoo Sung's gaze was so indifferent it easily painted over that resilience with pure terror.
The man known as one of the Three Disasters of the Martial World, or the Demon Emperor.
Yoo Sung's eyes burned through the Red-Eyed Ghost Devil's soul, searching for whatever lay hidden beyond.