Chapter 184
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: King of Beasts (4)
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"Gasp, gasp!"
A pale Seo Ryang collapsed backward.
"Young Master!"
Ma Dongpil rushed to his side. A trace of blood stained the corner of his mouth, a sign of the internal injuries he'd sustained while facing Cheonho's martial arts.
Even as he gasped for breath, Seo Ryang managed a playful smile.
"Not bad, huh?"
"Young Master, you really are..."
"Gasp, gasp! Hmm?"
Ma Dongpil bit his lip.
A supreme master who had reached the pinnacle of demonic arts was lying there, utterly exhausted. Even if his opponent was a master who had reached the state of mastery, this was absurd.
*I made a mistake.*
It wasn't because of the guilt of a bodyguard failing to protect his charge.
*The Young Master took it upon himself to do things he didn't necessarily have to.*
From the hostage situation with the Beast Palace Lord to all the various battles, and even the mental warfare with the Tang House.
It was undeniable that Seo Ryang had been able to successfully conclude all those fights because it was him. But they were also tasks he didn't need to handle alone.
For instance, either he or Yeo Ganghwi could have lured the Tang House. But Yeo Ganghwi was excluded because he could interfere with the hostage situation, and he himself was kept out on the grounds that he might get caught.
The reasons were valid. But that meant the Young Master had to bear everything alone, and that's exactly what happened.
If he had inserted himself into the situation more proactively, perhaps the Young Master wouldn't have pushed himself this hard.
*Perhaps I, too, had started to rely on the Young Master without realizing it.*
Ma Dongpil's face was a mixture of confusion and guilt.
What could he have sensed? Seo Ryang let out a deliberate cough.
"Carry me on your back when this is all over. I don't have an ounce of strength left."
"...Yes, sir."
"No fun at all."
Seo Ryang scratched his head.
"By the way, you missed a good opportunity."
"Sir?"
"I'm talking about you."
"What do you mean...?"
"Ah, you didn't realize it, did you?"
A look of puzzlement crossed Ma Dongpil's face.
"No, never mind. Telling you would only confuse you."
"Y-yes, sir."
With a groan, Seo Ryang pushed himself up. Supported by Ma Dongpil, he gazed ahead.
*It's definitely different.*
It was no exaggeration to say the area before them was utterly devastated.
Even with only thirty percent of his original internal energy, his Spirit Roaming Flying Heaven had torn apart the ground, flipping it over. Had his body been in perfect condition, the range would have been far greater.
However, the difference in sheer power wouldn't have been that significant. It was a testament to the fact that in internal energy, quality is more important than quantity.
*I still need to be more careful. I have to narrow the range and concentrate the power. Wielding a mere chunk of power isn't true mastery of energy.*
Still...
"I definitely wrecked him."
No presence could be felt from Cheonho, who was buried in the pulverized earth. His senses were dulled from expending all his demonic energy, but it was clear the man was dead.
"That guy, his body really is a work of art. To think it's still relatively intact after all that."
It was amazing that he had maintained his form despite taking a direct hit from the Spirit Roaming Flying Heaven. His left arm was gone, but his right arm and the leg mauled by the Tiger King were still attached.
Grrr.
Geumho nudged the Tiger King's body, which lay fallen to one side.
"Same goes for that one."
Blood trickled from its eyes, nose, and mouth. It had been outside the direct range of the Spirit Roaming Flying Heaven, but the shockwave had rattled its internal organs.
A bitter expression crossed Seo Ryang's face.
*This feels unsettling.*
It was a beast—or to be more blunt, a demonic creature. But he had made even such a creature attack its human master.
It was a fight he just had to win, one way or another, but he couldn't help but wonder if he'd had to go this far.
Seo Ryang, who had been staring silently at the Tiger King, started walking. Ma Dongpil quickly moved to support him.
Grrrr. Grrr.
The Tiger King, breathing heavily, glanced at Seo Ryang.
A beast cannot make facial expressions. But its eyes seemed to hold a subtle fear.
It was understandable. Being struck by such an absurd martial art would naturally instill fear.
Seo Ryang placed his hand on the Tiger King's head.
Flinch!
The Tiger King's massive body trembled.
"Stay still. I haven't completely removed the core of the sorcery yet."
Shudder.
"You may have become a monster, but from now on, live as the king of the mountains. Unbound by anything."
Demonic energy once again bloomed from Seo Ryang's hand.
Worry filled Ma Dongpil's face.
"Young Master."
"It's fine. Geumho is sharing its energy with me. I can handle this much."
Ma Dongpil was vaguely aware of the relationship between Seo Ryang and Geumho. But knowing that didn't make his concern disappear.
"Hup."
Holding his breath, Seo Ryang poured his demonic energy into it.
Shudder!
The Tiger King's body trembled violently.
Cold sweat beaded on Seo Ryang's forehead.
*As expected, this is difficult.*
The method of dismantling it wasn't hard, but the demonic energy was the problem.
It's difficult to perform delicate work with coarse demonic energy. Moreover, in human terms, this was akin to tampering with the upper dantian. One wrong move, and its brain would turn to mush, killing it instantly.
Of course, he thought it wouldn't matter if it died. Beyond being a threat to him, if this creature lived, the herbivores in this area would be wiped out. Once the leash of sorcery was broken, its loyalty to the Palace Lord would also vanish.
But... he didn't really want to worry about that.
*I'll just live as I please.*
Honestly, it feels wrong.
Whoooosh!
The Tiger King's eyes had rolled back, showing only the whites. It was foaming at the mouth, looking to be in an extremely dangerous state.
Just then, Seo Ryang raised his left hand and struck the Tiger King's abdomen.
Thwump!
The Tiger King coughed up a great gout of blood.
Sizzzle!
Astonishingly, the ground touched by the vomited blood smoked and burned. The blood itself was a dark green color.
He had moved the core of sorcery lodged in its upper dantian to its stomach, then enveloped it in tainted blood to make it vomit it out. Imbuing another's blood with one's own energy was a supreme level of energy control; something few besides Seo Ryang would have dared to attempt.
Grrrr!
After vomiting the blood, the Tiger King's eyes returned to normal. Its pupils were still red, but the blind ferocity from before was gone.
"Hoo, that does it."
Geumho approached Seo Ryang as he slumped to the ground. The way it licked his cheek seemed as if it were worried about him.
It was then.
"Young Master."
"Hm?"
Ma Dongpil looked to the north.
"I can feel demonic energy."
"Oh, really?"
My body really is a wreck.
He considered using the Heavenly Net Six Arts but decided against it. The fight was almost over anyway. There was no need to push himself further.
"Is it Commander Wi?"
"No, sir. The energy signature is too composed for the Berserk Demon Unit. I believe it's the True Demon Unit."
"I see."
"And... there's a formidable energy wave mixed in. It seems to be a Demonic Marshal."
"One Demonic Marshal and one unit. If they had arrived sooner, they would have been a massive help."
Seo Ryang grumbled. He seemed genuinely disappointed.
A moment later, over two hundred demonic cultivators appeared.
Flash!
The elderly man at the head of the group dropped to one knee.
"Divine Cult, Invincible! Ten Thousand Demons, Submit! The Seventh Demonic Marshal greets the Third Young Master!"
At that, the two hundred members of the True Demon Unit also knelt and bowed their heads.
"We greet the Third Young Master!"
Their resounding shouts carried a powerful demonic energy.
Seo Ryang found himself flaring his nostrils. He used to find demonic energy so distasteful, but now it actually calmed his mind.
"Good to see you."
The Seventh Demonic Marshal, Gwak Sang's, face stiffened.
"Third Young Master. Those injuries...?"
"Ah, this? Well... it just happened."
A murderous glint appeared in Gwak Sang's eyes.
"Which bastard dared!"
"You can relax. I just sent the one who did this to me to the afterlife."
Seo Ryang pointed behind him with his thumb.
Gwak Sang's gaze followed his gesture, and he was startled.
He spotted a person buried in the devastated earth.
"That man is...?"
"The Beast Palace Lord."
The sound of gulping could be heard from all around.
It was hard enough to believe that martial arts had created such a scene, but the identity of the person buried there stunned them.
*He defeated the Southern King?!*
The Beast Palace Lord, the monarch of the Southern Barbarians, was known to have reached the pinnacle of martial prowess. If the Third Young Master had killed such a master, it meant his own martial arts must have reached the pinnacle of demonic arts.
Gwak Sang looked back at Seo Ryang.
His face was etched with extreme fatigue, but his eyes shone with a brilliant light.
A chill!
Gwak Sang instinctively rubbed his arms.
*It's real!*
He couldn't feel any demonic energy, but he could tell from the look in his eyes alone. It was such an intense presence that he wondered why he hadn't noticed it until now.
*The Third Young Master has truly awakened to the pinnacle of demonic arts.*
Gwak Sang felt a sense of awe.
He was fifty-six this year. He had devoted his entire life to the path of martial arts, yet he hadn't even reached the foothills of the pinnacle.
Yet the Third Young Master, who had lived less than half his life, had awakened to that state and defeated the supreme master of the Southern Barbarians.
*He's nothing short of a monster.*
He glanced at the Tiger King. The jaw-droppingly large tiger was growling continuously.
*The only tiger this big is the Tiger King said to be raised by the Beast Palace Lord.*
Gwak Sang bowed his head without realizing it. It was a sign of respect, from one demonic cultivator to another.
"Congratulations on your great achievement."
Seo Ryang waved his hand dismissively.
"Enough. Things here are more or less wrapped up, so quickly summon the Berserk Demon Unit. Tell them not to wander off somewhere strange."
"Another Demonic Marshal has been assigned to the Berserk Demon Unit."
"Ah, right. My mind is a mess. Was it the third or the fourth?"
"The Fourth Demonic Marshal. His martial arts are reliable, but he is particularly skilled in strategy and tactics, so you need not worry too much."
Seo Ryang smirked.
"He'll have his hands full trying to control the Berserk Demon Unit."
Gwak Sang gave a faint smile.
It was then.
*...?*
What is this eerie and bizarre feeling?
Gwak Sang's head snapped to the side.
Shhhh...
As if time itself had slowed, the faint sound of crumbling earth reached his ears.
Gwak Sang's eyes widened.
Voom!
For a moment, a person—no, a beast—moved so fast it vanished from sight.
The blood-soaked beast, missing its left arm, charged forward, its disheveled white hair flying. The beast's charge, its eyes glowing with a golden light, was a development no one had anticipated.
*So fa—*
A movement of extreme speed that outpaced even the speed of thought.
Cheonho flew forward, his mouth wide open as if in a roar, and reached for Seo Ryang. His thick fingers looked ready to tear out Seo Ryang's throat in an instant.
A moment of absolute crisis.
Just then, another golden light exploded from beside Seo Ryang.
***
"I see."
Lee Cheonsang swirled the liquor in his cup slowly.
A flicker of interest rose on his indifferent, languid face.
"So, what was the result?"
"The three branches of the Beast Palace suffered a critical blow from the Tang House's hidden weapons and poisons, and the Tang House also sustained near-annihilating damage. At that moment, the Berserk Demon Unit, led by the Fourth Demonic Marshal, moved in and easily secured victory."
The shadow bowed its head.
"Congratulations, Cult Leader. With this, one of the Southern Barbarians' nuisances has been eliminated."
"Not yet."
"Pardon?"
Lee Cheonsang sank back into his grand armchair.
"The Beast Palace is a power from beyond the borders that has maintained its line for hundreds of years. They are not a group that will fall just because their leader is dead and a few hundred elite troops from their branches have been wiped out."
"Ah, yes."
"Still, it is undoubtedly an encouraging achievement."
Draining his cup, Lee Cheonsang tossed it aside carelessly. The cup sailed through the air and landed softly on the tea table.
"I never thought he would actually bury the Beast Palace Lord."
The corners of Lee Cheonsang's eyes curved in amusement.
*He's an interesting fellow in many ways.*
If he had simply made a pact, I would have understood. I know my third son's personality, but with the Young Lord of the Ice Palace involved, it would have been difficult to act so recklessly.
But to think he would kill the head of the Beast Palace and even inflict a great humiliation on those Tang House bastards.
"What about the Lord of the Tang House?"
"He has been captured, but not yet transported to the main cult."
"As it should be. With the Tang House's Poison Dragon Pavilion Lord already captured, throwing the House Lord into the dungeons as well would create a bigger problem."
As an individual, the Lord of the Tang House was nothing but an insect in Lee Cheonsang's eyes. But as the head of a group, he was a figure who could not be ignored.
He didn't stand at the center of the era, but he wasn't far from it. Now was not the time to carelessly provoke the Lord of the Tang House.
"By the way."
A rare look of question appeared on Lee Cheonsang's face.
"Where is my third son now?"