Clearing the Fog
"Arghhh!"
The Red-Eyed Demon thrashed, letting out a beastly howl.
Consumed by the residual thoughts of the Corpse Demon, Sima, his reason had vanished, leaving him a mere puppet.
Had Yoo Sung not subdued him, the surrounding area would have undoubtedly turned into a bloodbath.
"A truly vicious bastard."
Monsters who remained mad with slaughter even in death.
Such were the Hundred Demons of Matian.
The hundred demonic practitioners who represented Matian were the nightmares of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox paths—masters of the Extreme Demon Realm who had struck terror into the heart of the Jianghu.
They held the lives of martial artists and commoners alike in utter contempt.
The decisive reason the Imperial Court, which usually ignored the affairs of the Jianghu, had ultimately intervened in the Great War of Matian was largely due to the existence of these Hundred Demons.
Of course, this only served to highlight the formidable might of Matian, which had held its ground against both the Jianghu and the Imperial Court.
"I wonder how many of the Hundred Demons are still alive."
After Matian fell, the Hundred Demons had vanished without a trace.
Because they were notoriously cruel and acted independently, it had been possible to hunt them down if the righteous forces joined hands.
As far as Yoo Sung could recall, only about twenty of the Hundred Demons had been confirmed killed.
The name 'Sima' was not among them.
"Those who are confirmed dead or those still hiding are one thing, but bastards like Sima are far more dangerous."
Yoo Sung believed that Sima's tomb was merely the beginning.
If others like Sima left behind their legacies to lure martial artists into demonic dens, how catastrophic would the resulting chaos be?
"Yeo Mi-ho."
Had she been called one of the successors to the Ten Demonic Sects?
Though he had never heard the name Yeo Mi-ho, he was well acquainted with her clan.
The Ghost Reaper Yeo Clan, which held the lowest seat among the Ten Demonic Sects, was famous for its stealthy assassins.
When the Ghost Reaper assassins moved, death inevitably followed.
In the early days of the Great War of Matian, the Ghost Reaper assassins had claimed the lives of numerous masters from both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions.
Their sudden deaths had prevented the Orthodox and Unorthodox paths from uniting, forcing them to remain suspicious of one another.
Naturally, they had also suffered the heaviest casualties when the Orthodox and Unorthodox forces, harboring deep-seated grudges, launched a relentless counteroffensive.
The Ghost Reaper Yeo Clan had been the first of the Ten Demonic Sects to flee after Matian's demise, and it seemed they were also the quickest to reemerge into the world.
"A Ghost Reaper assassin is in Sichuan."
Aside from Yeo Mi-ho, how many other demonic practitioners of the Yeo Clan were roaming Sichuan?
Or was Yeo Mi-ho acting alone?
Whatever the case, her presence had undoubtedly fueled the current chaos.
"The rumors of the Soul-Bereaving Blade Demon must also be the Yeo Clan's doing."
Finally, the reason behind the Soul-Bereaving Blade Demon's legacy being in Sichuan became clear.
"There's nothing more to investigate."
He had already extracted everything the Red-Eyed Demon knew.
All that remained was to erase the Red-Eyed Demon's existence.
*Boom!*
Since a fierce battle seemed to be raging outside the tomb, Yoo Sung leisurely began to erase all traces of Sima.
Pant...
Pant...
Heavy, ragged breathing filled the battlefield.
The battle, which had begun late at night, did not end even as the blazing sun rose high into the sky.
"So the rumors of the Iron Flower's sword being formidable are true."
The Silver Spear Demon let out a sigh and surveyed his surroundings.
The beginning had certainly gone according to his plan.
He had summoned five demons near Hojung, and while they were on their way, he had absorbed the demonic energy of the four demons who were with him.
However, three of the demons had died, and the Red-Eyed Demon had entered Sima's tomb.
A strange anxiety had crept over him since then, but the Silver Spear Demon forced himself to remain calm.
Even though things had taken an unexpected turn, their combined might was not something the martial artists of Hojung could easily withstand.
However, that expectation was thoroughly shattered.
Slash.
A heavy Sword Qi severed the heads of three demonic practitioners.
The Iron Flower's sword was heavy and unyielding.
The demonic practitioners faltered and retreated before the swordplay of the Tang Clan's female swordsman.
Nor was that all.
Dang Hwa-soo's poison disrupted them at every turn, while the Iron Wall of Hojung guarded their rear.
Swish!
Though somewhat different from the brilliant sword techniques of the Diancang Sect, the Sword Qi of the Four Tigers of Diancang—hailed as the future of their sect—was by no means to be underestimated.
As the tide of battle slowly turned against them, the Silver Spear Demon's mind grew chaotic.
Should I flee?
He subtly scanned for an escape route, but the sharp gazes of Dang Hwa-young and Hyo-jin left no openings.
Though Dang Hwa-young's sword was terrifying, the greatest pressure came from the gaze of Hyo-jin, the Iron Wall.
True to his moniker, he was a martial artist skilled in defense, but once he drew his bow, escaping became nearly impossible.
Turning one's back on Hyo-jin, who was ready to loose an arrow at any moment, was tantamount to begging for death.
Ultimately giving up on flight, the Silver Spear Demon's eyes flushed crimson.
If death was inevitable, he would at least take the Iron Flower down with him.
If he could kill a genius whom the Tang Clan held in such high regard, it would at least appease some of his burning hatred.
"Do you think you can?"
Sensing the Silver Spear Demon's murderous intent directed at her, Dang Hwa-young unleashed an even more intense surge of Sword Qi from her blade.
*Crash!*
As the two masters clashed with their full strength, the surrounding battlefield naturally grew even more violent.
"Damn it!"
With a harsh curse, Dang Hwa-young was pushed back.
Though she was a high-level master of the Transcendental Realm, her condition was far from ideal.
Exhausted from the continuous forced marches since leaving the Tang Clan, facing the demons of the Ten Demons was no easy feat.
The Four Tigers of Diancang were also gradually being pushed back by the strength of the Ten Demons.
Hyo-jin was in no better position.
We can't go on like this!
As anxiety began to creep into Dang Hwa-young's mind while she surveyed the battlefield, the Silver Spear Demon, conversely, grew more relaxed.
"Hehehe. Today, I will tear out your heart and swallow it whole, you wench."
With a glint of madness in his eyes, the Silver Spear Demon's attacks grew even more ferocious.
"Muhahaha!"
"Die, you bastards!"
Confident of their victory, the morale of the demonic practitioners surged.
Some even attempted to leave the battlefield and head straight for Hojung.
Others made a move toward Sima's tomb, the source of all this chaos.
Hyo-jin and the Four Tigers of Diancang risked their lives to barely hold them back, but they were reaching their limits.
Just then,
Whoosh.
A gentle breeze blew, softly enveloping the battlefield.
The tide of the battle shifted entirely with Yoo Sung's appearance.
Thud, roll.
The severed head of the Red-Eyed Demon, which had been in Yoo Sung's hand, rolled across the ground.
Perhaps due to the sheer shock and terror he had felt before dying, the Red-Eyed Demon's final expression was vividly preserved.
The burning heat of the battlefield instantly froze over.
"There is nothing of Sima's here."
"...!"
Though momentarily taken aback by the Red-Eyed Demon's death, the demonic practitioners found Yoo Sung's words hard to believe.
"How can we believe that?!"
At the Silver Spear Demon's shout, the demonic practitioners cast menacing glares, but Yoo Sung remained perfectly calm.
"Don't believe me, then. Believe Sima instead. What do you think a bastard like him would have left behind for the likes of you?"
"...!"
"..."
At Yoo Sung's words, the demonic practitioners could not find a single word to refute him.
Sima was a great arch-demon who had been utterly uncontrollable, even as one of Matian's Hundred Demons.
A lunatic who prioritized his own whims above all else, drawing no distinction between ally and foe.
Because of his exceptionally eccentric and independent nature, Sima was a man who had ultimately been abandoned even by Matian.
Would such a man have obediently left something behind for his fellow demonic practitioners?
"...It was a trap."
As someone muttered those words, a heavy silence descended upon the field.
*Flinch!*
The Silver Spear Demon panicked as he looked around at his suddenly quiet allies.
This was by no means the outcome he had desired.
"Explain yourself, Silver Spear Demon."
The man's voice was heavy and commanding.
As the Sword Heaven Demon, the leader of Matian's Ten Demons, stepped forward, the other demonic practitioners began to watch his reaction warily.
"Are you actually believing that bastard's words?!"
"No matter how I look at it, this makes no sense. A martial artist from some backwater killed three of our demons, and then killed the Red-Eyed Demon who entered Sima's tomb. Do you honestly think that is possible?"
"..."
Just as the Sword Heaven Demon said, the results Yoo Sung had achieved were indeed difficult to believe.
Naturally, if there was some hidden 'intent' behind the deaths of the demons, the pieces would start to fall into place.
And the mastermind behind it would undoubtedly be the only one left unscathed: the Silver Spear Demon.
Tsk!
Feeling the suspicious glares directed at him, the Silver Spear Demon clicked his tongue inwardly.
His nearly perfect plan had been utterly ruined by a single man.
*Rumble.*
"Don't expect an easy death, you bastard."
The demonic energy swirling around the Silver Spear Demon was ominous.
"We are retreating."
The Sword Heaven Demon's decision sent the Silver Spear Demon into a deeper rage.
"Don't be ridiculous! We can kill all of them right here!"
"Do not use us for your personal vengeance. No matter how I look at it, the deaths of those four demons seem to be your doing."
True to his role as the leader of the highly individualistic Ten Demons, the Sword Heaven Demon was quick to make a judgment.
"Do you think you can just run away?!"
One of the Four Tigers of Diancang shouted at the Sword Heaven Demon, but the demon leader's gaze remained fixed on Yoo Sung.
"Let us make a deal."
"A deal?"
When Yoo Sung showed interest, the Sword Heaven Demon nodded.
"I will release the hostages they captured."
Hyo-jin's face brightened at the Sword Heaven Demon's proposal.
"How many are still alive?"
He had assumed everyone was already dead, but could there really be survivors?
"About ten."
The Sword Heaven Demon's indifferent reply failed to pique Yoo Sung's interest.
"If you agree, I will also stop the demonic practitioners heading toward Hojung."
*Slide.*
The Sword Heaven Demon pulled a small bamboo flute from his robes.
"Madman!"
Recognizing the flute used to control the Demonic Spirits, Hyo-jin gasped in horror.
The Four Tigers of Diancang also recognized the flute and swallowed their rage.
—Please agree. The safety of Hojung must come first right now.
Hyo-jin urgently sent a telepathic transmission to Yoo Sung.
The Yoo Sung he knew would not look kindly upon the Sword Heaven Demon's offer.
He recalled how merciless Yoo Sung had been on the battlefield against enemies who could no longer resist.
At Hyo-jin's desperate plea, Yoo Sung finally let out a sigh.
"Go."
With Yoo Sung's permission, the Sword Heaven Demon quickly barked an order.
"Retreat!"
The four demons flanking him turned and retreated without a single regret.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Watching the Sword Heaven Demon and his companions utterly abandon him, the Silver Spear Demon roared in fury.
The demonic energy coursing through his body erupted in a violent explosion.
Dang Hwa-young stepped forward to block the Silver Spear Demon's demonic energy, which was swallowing everything in its path without distinguishing friend from foe.
"Die, you demonic bastard!"
Dang Hwa-young's sword sliced through the air, hurtling toward the Silver Spear Demon.
The Silver Spear Demon, who had been poised to cleave Dang Hwa-young in two, suddenly froze as a chilling sensation crept up his spine.
*Squelch!*
Not missing that split-second opening, Dang Hwa-young's sword sliced the Silver Spear Demon in half.
"Sister!"
Unlike Dang Hwa-soo, who came running with a cheer, Dang Hwa-young's expression was complicated.
"You..."
Her gaze drifted toward Yoo Sung, but he had already turned his back.
—Just report it appropriately on your end.
Leaving behind Yoo Sung's telepathic message, which was thick with annoyance, the threat to Hojung finally dissolved into nothingness.
Although the threat of the Ten Demons had vanished, the atmosphere in Hojung remained heavy.
Only ten of the kidnapped townsfolk had returned, and half of them were in critical condition.
Fortunately, the Four Tigers of Diancang acted swiftly, barely managing to keep them alive.
Dang Hwa-young and Dang Hwa-soo also assisted the four, and Hojung gradually regained its peace.
Only after the danger in Hojung had subsided did Dang Hwa-young prepare to head to the Sichuan Righteous Alliance.
The night before their departure, Yoo Sung sought out Hyo-jin alone.
"I am sorry."
Hyo-jin, who had been waiting for Yoo Sung's visit, spoke first.
"Considering the debt of the past, I should follow you immediately. However, the situation here is dire."
The Four Tigers of Diancang were also in a position where they could leave at any moment.
Once they departed, Hyo-jin would be the only one left to protect the people of Hojung.
"Do as you wish. I never forced you."
Although it was a waste of Hyo-jin's martial arts—which had earned him the title of Iron Wall—Yoo Sung had no intention of forcing him.
Unless a martial artist truly wished to join him from the bottom of their heart, no amount of skill would matter.
"However, Hojung will change greatly from now on. The people of Hojung never forget a kindness. We will surely repay this debt in the future."
Yoo Sung nodded lightly at Hyo-jin's vow.
From what he had observed, there were indeed a few quite talented martial artists here.
If they came to find him once they reached the appropriate age, they would be of great help.
"With this, let's consider our past settled."
In truth, this was the reason he had sought out Hyo-jin.
The weight of his words was by no means light; he did not want any past promise to hold Hyo-jin back.
Understanding that sentiment better than anyone, Hyo-jin bowed deeply and respectfully.
"Thank you, Captain."
The next day, Yoo Sung left Hojung and headed toward the Sichuan Righteous Alliance alongside the Tang siblings.