Chapter 355
Chapter 355
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 355
Chapter Title: The Closest Enemy
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Since it was something the Demon Brain had done in secret, it made sense that no one had noticed a member of the Cheonbong Hang Clan leaving the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult for a mission in the Central Plains.
But understanding something and accepting it were two different things.
'Why would he do such a thing?'
Cheonhwi's gaze grew icy cold.
The Military Strategist of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Demon Brain Go Gyeong.
Their first meeting had taken place not anywhere else, but at the Heavenly Demon Ten Gates.
In other words, when he had first joined the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. And upon seeing Dokgo Goyeun's skills at that time, Demon Brain had immediately pledged his loyalty without another word, following him ever since.
The insidious schemes and temptations of the Five Great Families.
The raids by the Eight Demon Sects.
Despite all sorts of dangers, Demon Brain had never betrayed him once, offering unwavering loyalty and using his astonishing social skills to win over the cult members and even the people's hearts.
In the end, backed by those abilities, Dokgo Goyeun had ascended to the position of Cult Leader without even cultivating the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, and Demon Brain was recognized for his intellect and interpersonal prowess, becoming the Military Strategist of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Their bond was that old and deep, so even without overt displays, he had trusted Demon Brain implicitly...
Now, three hundred years later, that trust had cracked.
'He carried out something like that behind my back?'
The reason the Cheonbong Hang Clan had taken root in the Central Plains vanished from his mind.
Only Demon Brain remained in his thoughts.
'Why?'
Cheonhwi's brow twitched.
He carefully replayed what the Evil-Black Alliance Leader had said, but it only made it harder to understand.
If he had wanted to protect the Cheonbong Hang Clan, he would have suggested targeting somewhere else from the start, and Cheonhwi himself would have agreed.
After all, weren't nearly half of the Eight Demon Sects opposed to his position as Cult Leader anyway?
Yet Demon Brain had specifically mentioned the Cheonbong Hang Clan, leading to their annihilation.
And he had sent one person to the Central Plains, avoiding that exact time?
What benefit was there in that?
Cheonhwi's mind grew complicated.
No matter how he considered it from various angles, he couldn't grasp the purpose behind such actions.
He pondered for a long while.
...Tch.
Cheonhwi eventually clicked his tongue inwardly and cleared his complicated thoughts.
'No point thinking more about it.'
The truth behind why he had done it was now lost forever.
Three hundred years had already passed.
The only one who knew the truth, Demon Brain, must have long since passed away.
'If he hid it so thoroughly that even I didn't know until the end, there won't be any traces left afterward.'
A bit lingering unease remained, but as Cheonhwi shook off the doubts and was about to resume his thoughts...
"...To avoid the eyes of the Demonic Cult, he disguised himself as a martial artist from the unorthodox factions, and that's how it continued until now."
Just then, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader finished speaking.
"Now it's my turn."
He spoke in a low voice and, without the slightest hesitation, immediately opened his mouth again.
"How did you distinguish the scent?"
It was a sharp tone.
"Have you smelled the Ghost Soul Demon Canon's fragrance before?"
It was a question piercing the flaw in his previous answer.
But Cheonhwi remained composed.
'Knew you'd ask that.'
He had anticipated this question long ago.
Thus, Cheonhwi voiced the response he had already prepared.
"I know it from smelling Demonic Qi before."
"Demonic Qi...?"
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's eyebrow twitched.
He then shot back.
"It's already been a hundred years since the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult vanished from the Central Plains. How could you have smelled Demonic Qi?"
As his voice, laced with irrefutable logic, pressed down chillingly...
"Such impatience. It's not your turn to ask yet."
Instead of answering, Cheonhwi smirked with one corner of his mouth, reminding him of the current situation.
"It's mine."
"......"
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader shut his mouth.
But his eyes gleamed fiercely, staring straight at Cheonhwi.
He was right.
This conversation was a negotiation.
One question each, traded back and forth.
Cheonhwi gazed at the silent Evil-Black Alliance Leader and asked in a calm tone.
"No Demonic Qi could be felt from the Ghost Soul Demon Canon at all. Who did that?"
At the question, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's eyes narrowed to slits, then his lips parted.
"I did."
"Oh, really?"
Cheonhwi's eyes sparkled.
His fighting spirit and competitive drive surged.
'I thought the faintly leaking energy was extraordinary, but he even has the skill to personally refine the Ghost Soul Demon Canon?'
His lips stretched wide in a grin.
"Now it's my turn to ask."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader said in a rigid tone.
"How did you encounter Demonic Qi?"
At the question, Cheonhwi silently moved his right hand. Before he knew it, it had seized the black scabbard of the two swords at his waist and placed it on the table.
A belated thud echoed.
"...A sword?"
As the Evil-Black Alliance Leader stared silently at the sword suddenly placed on the table...
Shing―
Cheonhwi gripped the hilt and drew it slightly.
And in that instant.
Whoosh!
A fierce storm of Demonic Qi erupted.
The condensed Demonic Qi of the demonic sword made the space waver in an instant, swallowing the night's darkness.
"...!"
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader looked at the demonic sword in astonishment.
"Is this answer enough?"
With those words, Cheonhwi immediately sheathed it.
Click.
As the demonic sword vanished into its scabbard, the raging storm of Demonic Qi disappeared as if washed away, and silence draped over the table once more, as if nothing had happened.
The previous scene felt like an illusion.
"A demonic sword..."
A profound voice echoed from all directions.
It was the Six Harmonies Battle Saint.
Having already gathered his energy, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's eyes flashed.
Within those eyes swirled intense greed alongside cold killing intent.
"Can a sword guard of Mount Hua carry that around?"
"Tsk tsk, isn't it safer in my hands?"
"......"
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader fell silent.
It was agreement.
It was an extraordinary sword.
In that brief moment it was revealed, even he had been startled by the incredibly dense Demonic Qi that flowed out.
Any demonic cultivator would covet it—no, any sword expert would.
It was that alluring a sword.
Thus, it was safer in the hands of a supreme master like Cheonhwi than anywhere else.
And that wasn't all.
"You've sealed the Demonic Qi with the scabbard."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader said, staring intently at the sword.
Not a trace of the Demonic Qi he had felt moments ago could be detected from the pitch-black scabbard.
"Impressive, right?"
Cheonhwi grinned.
At that smile, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's expression subtly hardened.
It was behavior that precisely struck at his psychological weak point.
Who in the world would imagine the Plum Blossom Divine Sword carrying a demonic sword?
Even he hadn't suspected it until the sword was drawn.
After staring at the sword for a long time, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader suddenly rose from his chair.
It was a move signaling the end.
"Hm? Leaving without asking more?"
Cheonhwi looked at him and spoke.
He had already hung the demonic sword from the table back at his side.
"Is there more you want to ask?"
"No, nothing more from me."
Cheonhwi scratched his head and stood up.
The Plum Blossom Divine Art's energy subtly bloomed, slowly enveloping his entire body.
The epitome of pure energy.
The utterly transparent energy emitted a faint crimson glow as it rose.
Amid the beautiful and mysterious crimson light display, Cheonhwi's lips moved.
Mystical energy infused his voice.
"Just find it strange you're leaving like this."
"You weren't planning to kill and eradicate?"
"......You knew."
"Of course."
Cheonhwi lifted the corners of his mouth sharply.
"Those who've climbed high don't want to leave even the slightest risk of their own downfall."
Cheonhwi's eyes gleamed coldly.
If it became known that the Evil-Black Alliance Leader was once the head of the Cheonbong Hang Clan, one of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's families, he wouldn't just lose his position as Alliance Leader—everything he had built would crumble.
The barely surviving Cheonbong Hang Clan would be in danger too.
It was natural he wouldn't want to leave such a risk.
"You knew and came alone?"
"That's right."
"Such confidence. No."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader half-closed his eyes.
"It feels like you've been waiting for this situation."
His voice rippled.
It was the Six Harmonies Battle Saint.
Soon, the Ghost Soul Demon Canon's energy surged unconsciously once more, making his entire body shimmer with purple radiance.
Before long, the faint breeze flowing from his feet began to rise like a gale.
It was instantaneous.
'Thrilling.'
Cheonhwi's smile deepened at the suddenly surging wave of energy.
His skin-prickling energy was intense enough to further ignite his razor-sharp fighting spirit.
"My skin's tingling?"
Cheonhwi's eyes gleamed as he spoke.
Suddenly, their gazes overlapped in midair.
Hummm―
The space between them warped.
The crimson glow from the Plum Blossom Divine Art.
The purple glow from the Ghost Soul Demon Canon.
The two glows defended their territories while repeatedly pushing to invade each other's domains.
Crack!
Unable to withstand their energy clash, the table shattered.
And in that moment, as the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's overwhelming momentum pressed in, Cheonhwi gripped the hilt of Flower Moon.
His hand itched.
He desperately wanted to draw it right then and clash martial arts with the Evil-Black Alliance Leader.
'First strike? Counter? Doesn't matter.'
As Cheonhwi grinned and was about to draw Flower Moon from its scabbard...
"However."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader suddenly dispersed his energy with a flat voice. Like a lantern snuffed by the wind, it was instantaneous.
With his energy gone in a breath, the purple-tinged night sky around him returned to its original color, and a slender breeze brushed his cheek.
"No need for that now."
Finishing his words, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader turned away as if harboring no further attachment.
"Huh?"
Cheonhwi frowned at the sight.
His spirits had been rising with battle lust, only for the situation to abruptly end—it was irritating.
"Tucking tail and running?"
Cheonhwi taunted him, intending to force a fight even if he had to initiate it.
However.
"Since you've agreed to keep silent, no need to go as far as killing and eradicating."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader was nonchalant.
"What if I break the silence?"
"I'd have said it already."
For an instant, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's voice turned utterly vicious.
"You and Mount Hua would fall."
"......Not buying it."
As Cheonhwi's competitive fire cooled toward the seemingly unwilling Evil-Black Alliance Leader...
"No intention of doing good for others."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader spoke.
It was a voice cold as ice.
"Huh? Good for others?"
"You still don't know."
At Cheonhwi's puzzlement, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader glanced back slyly, his gaze captivating Cheonhwi through the swaying hair.
Then his red lips parted.
"Do you think the Murim Alliance Leader is unaware we've met?"
"What?"
Cheonhwi reflexively responded in a deflated voice at the sudden mention of the Murim Alliance Leader.
"The enemy is in the closest place."
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader's reply was ambiguous.
But this time, he couldn't ask again.
With those words, his purple robe gleamed under the moonlight before he vanished in an instant.
Cheonhwi sensed his presence rapidly receding and paused as he started to pursue.
'What would be the point of chasing?'
The life-or-death duel was off anyway.
What would he do even if he caught up?
He had no hobby of forcing a fight on someone with no will to battle.
Besides, his instincts told him the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's parting words were more important.
"The enemy is in the closest place?"