Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: A Reason to Take Control Here
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Martial God (138)
“Kill that bastard!”
Cheol Mok Haram pointed at Ak Muyoo and shouted.
In response, over a dozen first-class members charged toward Ak Muyoo.
“Hmph!”
A snort escaped Mu Hyang’s lips. Her figure melted into the air in an instant.
“Doing it alone is against the rules.”
It wasn’t just Mu Hyang. Ha Mi vanished into thin air just as quickly. It was the stealth technique used by the Eastern Ocean’s operatives.
“Gahk!”
“Keuk!”
“Euk!”
Soon, those rushing at Ak Muyoo collapsed one after another with muffled cries.
Mu Hyang and Ha Mi’s strikes were straightforward. They targeted vital points for instant kills.
Ak Muyoo raced forward along the path the two women had cleared. As he moved, the others around him leaped into action as well.
“Krahk!”
“Aaak!”
“Euaak!”
Piercing screams soon erupted.
In truth, though called first-class, the Red Sand Group’s warriors were a step below the true powerhouses of the martial world. Anyone with three jia of internal energy had no reason to become a bandit. Of course, some bandits did possess three jia, but they were usually fugitives who had committed crimes against the state or were wanted in the martial world. Moreover, wanted criminals and martial offenders couldn’t flaunt their skills openly.
If their bounty was exposed, even their comrades might cut off their heads.
Even those with strong internal energy—around one to two jia—stood no chance against Mu Hyang or Ha Mi.
Ara and Wolma mercilessly cut down the enemy.
When Mok Jawoong and Song Won Do joined in, the foes’ numbers dwindled rapidly.
By then, Ak Muyoo had reached Cheol Mok Haram.
“Chaha!”
Cheol Mok Haram swung his saber.
Chaang!
His blade was blocked by the Fear Demon’s chain. The Fear Demon then whipped around his saber in a circle. That was one of its strengths. Fail to block the blade, and the chain would coil like a flexible sword, allowing a follow-up strike.
“Hup!”
Cheol Mok Haram recoiled in horror, leaning his upper body back.
Swaak!
The Fear Demon grazed his throat by a hair’s breadth. Blood trickled down his neck—he hadn’t dodged perfectly. The Fear Demon swiftly wrapped around his saber.
Cheol Mok Haram yanked desperately at his blade, but it wouldn’t budge. In that moment, another Fear Demon flew toward the arm gripping the saber.
He had no choice but to release it.
Dropping the saber, he leaped back.
“It’s not like I only learned saber arts, you punk. Before the saber, I was a palm technique master.”
He had abandoned palm strikes to hide his identity.
Black Kill Demon Palm Ak Du Cheon was the name he used before earning the moniker Falling Sun Demon Emperor Cheol Mok Haram—his real name. In the Central Plains martial world, Black Kill Demon Palm Ak Du Cheon was a top wanted criminal; to the authorities, he carried a thirty-thousand-nyang bounty. That’s why he changed his name to Cheol Mok Haram upon arriving here.
By sheer luck, he found an ancient warrior’s manual in a rundown grave in the open fields. The technique from that manual earned him the Falling Sun Demon Emperor title.
With superior skills compared to other bandits, he rose swiftly, becoming the Red Sand Group’s leader twenty years ago. He then formed the Red Society and took the chairman position, fully laundering his identity.
But now, he was forced to dust off his old arts. He couldn’t choose death to keep his past buried.
Cheol Mok Haram’s hands turned pitch black, as if ink might drip from them at any moment.
“This is Black Heaven Demon Killing Hand.”
Song Won Do, who had been watching Ak Muyoo and Cheol Mok Haram, shouted. At his cry, the Red Sand Group’s first-class members all turned their heads.
“Black Kill Demon Palm Ak Du Cheon!”
Most had some ties to the martial world, so they knew of Ak Du Cheon. Even if not the name, everyone knew Black Kill Demon Palm.
He was infamous as the worst among wanted criminals. Raping married women was one of his lighter crimes.
Whispers placed him among the top five worst offenders in history.
“Red Sand Group, fall back!”
Chief Steward Dae U-jang bellowed.
The first-class members retreated.
Cheol Mok Haram glanced at them.
“Betraying me?”
He glared at Dae U-jang.
“The one I serve is Falling Sun Demon Emperor Cheol Mok Haram, not Black Kill Demon Palm Ak Du Cheon.”
“Ak Du Cheon is the past. I’m Cheol Mok Haram now!”
“Then why drag up the past? We would’ve gladly died for our leader.”
“You’ll regret this.”
“I already regret everything I’ve done.”
“Again…”
“No point fondling a dead man’s balls—he won’t come back to life. Just take my weapon.”
Ak Muyoo charged at Cheol Mok Haram again. This time, Cheol Mok Haram rushed forward too. His ink-black arms were now tougher than tempered steel.
Whip!
Thud!
Cheol Mok Haram struck first, thrusting his fist with force. A black fist-shaped burst of energy shot toward Ak Muyoo.
Ak Muyoo’s right hand sliced through the air.
Kaang!
The Fear Demon severed the black fist. As the distance closed, Cheol Mok Haram’s punches accelerated like lightning. Ak Muyoo’s arms were no different, moving too fast for the eye to follow.
Kang! Kangkangkang! Kangkang! Kangkang!
Sharp metallic clashes rang out ceaselessly between them. Neither could see the other’s attacks, yet they parried instinctively.
“You’re not watching with your eyes, right?”
Song Won Do asked.
“It’s all senses—pure reaction for attack and defense.”
“Cheol Mok Haram’s a master, fine. But Young Master Black Wind has no internal energy. Incredible.”
More than incredible—it defied logic. Without internal energy, clashing with a powerhouse should send you flying. Like striking a metal lump with a sword: the backlash could snap your arm.
With Cheol Mok Haram’s three-jia internal energy, Ak Muyoo’s arms should shatter. Yet he didn’t yield an inch.
‘Huh?’
Song Won Do’s eyes widened.
Now Ak Muyoo gripped the Fear Demon’s handle and swung.
“That technique…”
“It’s not a technique. It’s the Life-Death Bind, a forbidden art.”
Wolma explained.
“Isn’t that too much for a forbidden art?”
“Master Life Bind, Death Bind, and Life-Death Full Bind, and it transcends forbidden arts. It becomes true martial prowess. He made a mistake.”
Kang! Kangkangkang! Kangkang! Kangkangkang!
The clashes continued.
“What mistake?”
Song Won Do pressed.
“Black Heaven Demon Killing Hand makes arms indestructible, but not forever. As time passes and internal energy wanes, it weakens. The Fear Demon’s divine steel from start to finish. Bare flesh against unyielding steel nonstop? The outcome’s obvious.”
“That weapon’s the Fear Demon?”
Song Won Do asked, stunned.
“Yeah. That guy’s the World Subduing Demon Heaven.”
“So that’s…”
He finally understood why Ak Muyoo’s father shadowed him. Ak Muyoo was the World Subduing Demon Heaven.
Kang! Kangkangkang! Kangkang!
“Keu! Eueu!”
Muffled groans seeped through the clashes.
“The limit’s hit.”
Wolma murmured.
“That’s Cheol Mok Haram groaning.”
“Right. His indestructibility’s cracking.”
Kang! Kangkang!
“Keuk!”
Kangkangkang! Kangkangkang!
“Eueueuk!”
Now it was clear: Cheol Mok Haram was grunting in pain.
Even then, Ak Muyoo’s arms never slowed. Moments later, red mist rose between them. Blood from Cheol Mok Haram’s hands sprayed into the air with his frantic movements.
“Keheok!”
Finally, Cheol Mok Haram screamed and retreated.
Whip!
Ak Muyoo hurled the Fear Demon.
It shot forward at blinding speed. The throw was Illusion Demon Twelve Forms: Illusion Isle.
Cheol Mok Haram raised his right arm to block.
Puk!
Swaak!
Incredibly, his supposedly indestructible elbow severed clean off.
“Krahk!”
Puk!
As he screamed, the left-hand Fear Demon split his skull like chopping firewood.
The fight ended.
Ak Muyoo retrieved the Fear Demon and turned to Dae U-jang.
“What’ll it be?”
“I’ll follow.”
Dae U-jang surrendered immediately.
Then the Eighteen-Man Squad and Non-Moon Unit arrived.
“How’d it go?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“We captured five hundred prisoners.”
Dong Pung replied.
“Bring them all here.”
“Understood.”
Dong Pung departed.
Ak Muyoo turned to Dae U-jang.
“What’s your name?”
“Dae U-jang. I was the chief steward.”
“Good. You’ll lead the Red Sand Group for now.”
“Understood.”
“Bury the dead and clean up.”
Ak Muyoo said as he entered the building.
“Yes.”
Dae U-jang issued orders to the commanders and followed. Cheol Mok Haram’s quarters were on the second floor.
“The first floor has the mess hall and quarters for the workers.”
Dae U-jang explained as they entered.
“What’s on this floor?”
“The leader’s office, bedroom, and meeting room.”
“To the meeting room.”
“Yes.”
It was at the far left end of the second floor.
As Ak Muyoo’s group sat, Dae U-jang opened the windows. Sunlight poured in.
“Strategist Im!”
Ak Muyoo called Im Chung-i.
“Yes.”
“Report the situation ahead.”
“Huh…?”
Im Chung-i stared puzzled. Ak Muyoo had never commanded him before. Now suddenly, half an order.
“He means predict the other factions’ moves.”
‘Again…’
Im Chung-i’s eyes bulged.
‘That fool.’
Ha Mi, seasoned in Eastern Ocean ways, instantly grasped why.
—Idiot, our boss is assigning you the Red Society. Haven’t figured it out? No skills, no wits—he might reconsider.
She sent him a transmission.
— I get the meaning. It’s just that I…
—Lack confidence?
— I have it.
—Then speak up.
—Thank you.
—Thank the boss, not me.
“The forces to watch most now are Western Xia Alliance and White Five Union.”
“Even after losing Blood Rain Group and Iron Bow Group?”
“Western Xia has two thousand men. Minus four hundred, sixteen hundred remain. Recently, assassins from the capital joined them.”
“Did Life-Death Society go to Western Xia?”
Ak Muyoo asked Mu Hyang.
“Yes.”
“Are Life-Death Society and Western Xia longtime allies?”
“The Life-Death Society leader and Western Xia leader are brothers.”
“Brothers?”
“Yes. Life-Death Society leader’s the elder; Western Xia’s Yi Yang is his blood brother.”
“I thought Life-Death Society leader’s brother was called Latent Death…”
Ha Mi muttered softly—not for others, just to herself.
Ak Muyoo’s movements froze.