Chapter 264
Chapter 264
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: Chapter 5. When People Change, So Does the Environment (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Demonic Cult was a land where the strong reigned supreme. Only the mighty could stand at the pinnacle, and everything revolved around a single supreme powerhouse.
In the Demonic Cult, the greatest powerhouse was the Cult Leader.
“The current New Cult Leader’s name is Cheok Gwan-hyeol.”
“Cheok Gwan-hyeol?”
“Yes! He’s truly an extraordinary man. Because of him alone, the Demonic Cult, which had been reduced to ruins, was revived. He sought out talents and passed down martial arts to them, and he called back the previous generation’s great demons who had been in seclusion.”
Prime Moon Divine Demon Cheok Gwan-hyeol.
When the Demonic Cult fell, he was merely a boy in his late teens. Young as he was, he was no coward. He intended to fight the martial world to the death. But his father, Cheok Mu-jeong, stopped him.
Cheok Mu-jeong had intuited that the tide had turned irreversibly, no matter what he did.
“You must live. Live and seek revenge. Watch with those eyes. Watch as our cult crumbles. And survive. Survive no matter what and rebuild our cult. That is my one and only wish.”
Cheok Mu-jeong sealed Cheok Gwan-hyeol’s acupoints and hid him in a secret place. Then, he converted most of his own inner energy into a primordial essence and transferred it to Cheok Gwan-hyeol.
Though his acupoints were sealed and he couldn’t move, he could still see. And so, Cheok Gwan-hyeol was forced to witness the fall of the Demonic Cult from beginning to end.
He saw the deaths of countless people who cherished him. He saw his father vomiting blood as he died.
Cheok Gwan-hyeol shed tears of blood. And he vowed revenge.
“Cult Leader Cheok mastered the cult’s ultimate arts based on the primordial essence his father left him. He was already known as a genius. To such a man was given his father’s terrifying inner energy in the form of primordial essence. It was like pouring oil on a roaring blaze.”
Cheok Gwan-hyeol mastered all of the Demonic Cult’s martial arts at a frightening speed. He learned countless demonic arts and gained profound insights. Using those insights, he recreated martial arts and invented new ones.
That wasn’t all. He drew in the previous generation’s great demons from seclusion and gathered the scattered disciples. And he passed on his insights to them.
Under Cheok Gwan-hyeol’s powerful leadership, the Demonic Cult became one again. Countless great demons from the previous generation gathered, forming the cult’s core.
“The Cult Leader is the beginning and end of our cult. The New Cult exists because of him.”
“Conversely, does that mean the Demonic Cult would collapse without the Cult Leader?”
“Many think so. But the Cult Leader isn’t that fragile. He’s established a solid system so the cult can function even without him. It’s just that the world doesn’t know it.”
Eun Yu-kyung’s voice trembled slightly.
It was an involuntary reaction whenever she mentioned Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol. Proof of how much she feared him.
Cheok Gwan-hyeol was an unparalleled warrior. He was too extraordinary to be dismissed merely as a demon. And too terrifying.
An existence impossible to oppose.
That was how Cheok Gwan-hyeol was etched into Eun Yu-kyung’s mind. That was why she hadn’t dared to confront him directly and had instead sought a divine relic to oppose him.
Eun Yu-kyung steadied her mind and continued.
“The problem arose three years ago, right when you killed four of the Seven Great Demon Lords. With four of the Seven dying at once, a massive gap opened in our forces. Naturally, the New Cult tried to fill those vacancies.”
The Seven Great Demon Lords were the glorious pillars of the Demonic Cult. Naturally, countless warriors of the cult challenged each other to become one of them.
Because of this, the Demonic Cult paused its offensives and held a tournament to select new Seven Great Demon Lords. All eyes in the cult naturally turned to the tournament.
Eun Yu-kyung was no exception.
It was such a grand event that even she momentarily forgot everything and focused on the tournament.
“That was my fatal mistake.”
“Fatal mistake?”
“It was Sang Han-cheon’s trap. He diverted my attention to deal with me and my allies.”
Eun Yu-kyung closed her eyes.
Sang Han-cheon’s scheme was truly terrifying.
Like digging up sweet potato roots, he systematically rooted out Eun Yu-kyung and everyone connected to her. It happened so swiftly that she and her allies couldn’t mount any real resistance before being cornered.
Countless people died.
Cheok Gwan-hyeol and Sang Han-cheon didn’t hesitate to shed blood. Even though they supported Eun Yu-kyung’s actions, those people were still brothers of the Demonic Cult.
An unexpected storm of blades swept through. Countless people bled out and died, including Hwa Mu-ui, Eun Yu-kyung’s greatest patron and the leader of the Protectorate.
Hwa Mu-ui, possessor of such outstanding martial arts that he was called the Northern Nether Demon Emperor. Having reached the absolute realm long ago, he was an elder master who could not be underestimated.
He valued balance and checks. He believed the Protectorate needed to check the Cult Leader’s overreach. So he secretly supported Eun Yu-kyung.
Even Hwa Mu-ui couldn’t escape the storm of blades Cheok Gwan-hyeol unleashed. He was torn limb from limb by the combined assault of the Cult Leader’s direct Execution Squad.
His severed head was hung high on the flagpole at the Demonic Cult’s main gate, his torso dumped far away on the seaside, and his remaining limbs scattered across the land to become beast fodder.
Hwa Mu-ui’s death marked the end of the remaining factions in the Demonic Cult that had opposed Cheok Gwan-hyeol’s authority.
“After Protectorate Leader Hwa was killed, I fled the New Cult. And the Cult Leader sent pursuit squads to kill me.”
A deep shadow fell over Eun Yu-kyung’s eyes. Just recalling the memory tore at her heart, forcing her to bite her lip hard.
“They all died. Everyone…”
If Eun Yu-kyung hadn’t desperately fled, she would have met the same fate.
The pursuit squads Cheok Gwan-hyeol dispatched were relentlessly tenacious. Like hunting dogs, they doggedly tracked her and backed her into a corner.
There was no escape. Sky, earth, rivers—all were blocked. As she fell into despair, unexpected figures came to her aid.
Before his death, Northern Nether Demon Emperor Hwa Mu-ui had ordered his subordinates to help her escape. Without them, she never would have made it out.
As she bit her lip, the wounds she had barely stanched across her body burst open, spilling fresh blood. The blood quickly soaked her clothes red.
“Oh no!”
Jong Ri-yeon, entering with tea, was startled by the sight. She hastily set down the tray and rushed over to examine Eun Yu-kyung’s wounds.
“You’re critically injured? How did you move around with wounds like these…?”
It was a grave injury that wouldn’t have been strange if she had already lost consciousness. Jong Ri-yeon paled at the sight of Eun Yu-kyung showing no sign of it.
In truth, Eun Yu-kyung was on the verge of collapse. Yet she was clinging desperately to her senses.
“Come with me to Sichuan Province. Please.”
“Sichuan Province?”
“Yeol-cheon said you must come with me.”
“Sword Rhythm Heaven?”
Dam Ho’s eyes darkened heavily.
“He said the fate of the martial world hangs on that place. He said… you must come with me. Absolutely… must… Ah!”
Having finished speaking, Eun Yu-kyung fainted on the spot. Jong Ri-yeon caught her collapsing body.
“Miss Eun!”
***
“Ugh!”
With a low groan, Eun Yu-kyung opened her eyes. The first thing she saw upon waking was the face of a woman looking down at her.
Eun Yu-kyung tried to sit up.
“You mustn’t strain yourself yet.”
The woman stopping her was Jong Ri-yeon.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not. You still can’t overdo it. That’s the physician’s advice.”
Jong Ri-yeon forcibly laid Eun Yu-kyung back down. Faced with her firm attitude, Eun Yu-kyung had no choice but to comply.
“How did you move with injuries like that? We treated you just in time, but if we’d been even a little later, you’d have been crippled.”
“Thank you. For treating me.”
“It was just what needed to be done.”
“How long have I been unconscious?”
“Three days.”
“Three days?”
Eun Yu-kyung’s eyes widened in shock.
“Your wounds were that severe. Fortunately, the treatment went well, but you still can’t overexert yourself.”
“I can’t just lie here. I…”
“No matter how urgent, your health comes first, Miss Eun. You need stamina to travel far.”
Jong Ri-yeon’s voice was gentle. But it carried an irresistible force.
She took silver needles from her bosom and continued.
“I’ll make you good as new in no time. Strong enough not to tire even on the way to Sichuan.”
Jong Ri-yeon applied acupuncture without giving Eun Yu-kyung a chance to resist. Her acupuncture had reached a divine level; in an instant, she inserted over two hundred silver needles densely across Eun Yu-kyung’s body.
As the needles pierced her body, Eun Yu-kyung fell into deep slumber. Jong Ri-yeon gazed intently at her sleeping face.
“You’ll feel much refreshed when you wake.”
Eun Yu-kyung awoke again two days later. This time, Jong Ri-yeon didn’t stop her from moving.
Crack!
“Urk!”
At that moment, a dull impact and a stifled groan came from outside the window. Eun Yu-kyung hastily circulated her energy and went on alert.
“No need to be on guard.”
Jong Ri-yeon quickly reassured her.
When Eun Yu-kyung looked puzzled, Jong Ri-yeon smiled.
“It happens all the time.”
“What kind of thing?”
“Want to see for yourself?”
Eun Yu-kyung nodded, and Jong Ri-yeon supported her as they went outside. Her eyes widened instantly.
“Grr!”
“Damn it!”
Countless people were rolling on the ground. They were the Mount Hua Sect disciples Eun Yu-kyung had seen when she first arrived at Mount Hua. But their condition was far from normal.
Every one of them had fractures or wounds somewhere, bleeding profusely. They leaned against walls or lay on the ground, groaning. Yet not one had the eyes of the dead.
Their gazes burned with vicious malice.
“What in the world?”
Eun Yu-kyung’s eyes turned to where the Mount Hua disciples were looking.
A man stood there.
A lone man in the center of the vast training ground. Around him lay scattered countless Mount Hua Sect disciples.
‘Dam… Ho.’
It was Dam Ho.
Beast-like eyes gleamed through his disheveled hair.
Gulp!
His gaze shifted to the Mount Hua disciples still standing.
“Next!”
As his rough, gravelly voice rang out, one of the disciples shot forward.
The disciple clasped his hands in greeting toward Dam Ho and shouted.
“Disciple Won Chung. Please advise me.”
“Come at me!”
“Yes!”
Won Chung charged at Dam Ho without hesitation.
One of Mount Hua Sect’s signature techniques, the Cloud Parting Sword, unfolded from Won Chung’s hand. True to its name of pushing away clouds, the Cloud Parting Sword was soft yet powerfully destructive.
Moreover, the sword Won Chung wielded was a live blade. A brutal sight rarely seen in ordinary sparring.
Shing!
Won Chung unleashed the Cloud Parting Sword with all his might.
The Cloud Parting Sword was one of the sword forms every Plum Blossom Swordsman learned. But becoming a Plum Blossom Swordsman was as rare as plucking stars from the sky, so only thirty-six in Mount Hua had mastered this advanced technique.
Shh-shh-shk!
Won Chung’s sword tore through the air, aiming for Dam Ho’s vital points.
“Impressive.”
Eun Yu-kyung, watching blankly, couldn’t help but exclaim. Won Chung’s Cloud Parting Sword was outstanding enough to evoke memories of peak Mount Hua Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
Above all, Won Chung’s swordsmanship relentlessly targeted Dam Ho’s vitals. This desperate, all-out assault was unlike anything from Mount Hua’s warriors of old.
“Tch!”
When the Cloud Parting Sword failed, Won Chung switched to the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword.
Chwi-hwak!
Plum blossoms bloomed in the air.
Sword qi in plum blossom patterns enveloped Dam Ho.
In that instant, Dam Ho moved. With his motion, the plum blossoms withered away in a flash.
Puhwak!
Dam Ho burst through the plum blossoms.
As Won Chung gritted his teeth, an immense shock struck him.
Kwang!
“Kuh!”
Won Chung flew back with a short scream.
Even as he rolled on the ground vomiting blood, Won Chung didn’t take his eyes off Dam Ho. Despite the grave internal injuries, the malice in his eyes didn’t fade.
At that moment, Dam Ho turned.
“Next!”
“Disciple Won Gong.”
Won Gong charged at Dam Ho.
Eun Yu-kyung’s pupils trembled.
“What is this?”
“It happens every day. He’s going a bit hard today. Ha! I’d better hurry and make more internal injury medicine.”
Jong Ri-yeon sighed.
Only then did Eun Yu-kyung realize. The medicine Jong Ri-yeon had given the Mount Hua disciple that first day.
These disciples were risking their lives daily in real combat against Dam Ho. Without Jong Ri-yeon’s internal injury medicine, they would have died long ago.
‘Is this the true reason Mount Hua has regained its strength?’