Chapter 369: An Incomprehensible Being
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 369: An Incomprehensible Being
Boom!
A thunderous explosion shook the air, and the floor of the Great Hall shattered instantly.
"Aaaaaagh!"
A harrowing scream followed, vibrating through the very foundations of the hall.
"Ma-noe! Ma-noe! Ma-noe!"
Shouts calling for Ma-noe erupted from every direction.
Clack.
The heavy doors to the Great Hall swung open, and Ma-noe appeared, one of his arms missing.
"Heavenly Demon, your servant has arrived."
Ma-noe slammed his head against the floor in a frantic kowtow. He offered his deepest respects to the Heavenly Demon, who sat perched upon the throne.
"Hurry! Quickly! Bring the sacrifices! I told you to bring the sacrifices!" the Heavenly Demon shrieked, his voice cracking with desperation.
Vast, formless waves of energy began to swirl violently around his body.
"I... I understand! I shall have them brought forth immediately!"
Overwhelmed by the sheer pressure of that energy, Ma-noe nodded frantically, his face pale with terror.
"Aaaaaagh!"
The Heavenly Demon screamed again. An unbearable, agonizing pain radiated from his severed arm.
"Yin-Yang Demon! Yin-Yang Demon!"
He repeatedly spat out the name of the ultimate enemy who had reduced him to this state. He was convinced that all of this was the fault of that traitor.
A traitor who, despite being indebted to the Demonic Cult, had murdered his own master and fled with the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth—the cult’s very own Cult Protection Martial Art. It was all because of that Yin-Yang Demon.
"Aaaaaagh!"
As the pain intensified, the Heavenly Demon’s screams grew louder. He couldn't understand it. Since reaching his current exalted realm, he had never experienced pain like this. Even when he had been reduced to a puddle of blood by Lee Jae-won, he hadn't felt a thing.
Yet, strangely, the wound inflicted by the Yin-Yang Demon throbbed with agony. It was a profound, bottomless pain that even he—a being said to have surpassed the Profound Realm—could not endure.
Grit.
The Heavenly Demon gnashed his teeth. Fury toward the Yin-Yang Demon surged within him.
"I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!"
With bloodshot eyes, he glared into the empty air and roared, radiating a terrifying murderous aura.
Creeeeeak.
The doors opened again, and dozens of pairs of naked men and women were led inside. At the sight of them, the Heavenly Demon immediately began pouring out Demonic Qi from his entire body.
The cascading Demonic Qi formed a massive tidal wave that swept over the dozens of humans.
Rumble!
One by one, the humans engulfed by the Demonic Qi were absorbed into the Heavenly Demon. Hair, skin, bones, blood, and even organs—everything was consumed.
After some time had passed, the Heavenly Demon was once again alone in the hall, as if no one had ever visited.
"Pant... pant... pant..."
With the pain temporarily subsided, the Heavenly Demon stared at his empty sleeve. There was still no sign of his arm regenerating. He scowled deeply.
It wasn't enough. He had devoured thousands of martial artists by now, but it still wasn't enough.
"Aaaaaagh!"
He let the formless energy surrounding him explode outward. His rage was so great that he could no longer control it.
Creeeeeak.
Just then, the sound of the doors opening reached his ears again. Without hesitation, the Heavenly Demon fired a blast of Demonic Qi toward the sound.
Whoosh!
The tidal wave of Demonic Qi surged forward once more.
Slash!
However, the black wave was suddenly split down the middle and dissipated into nothingness.
"Well... that’s quite a rough welcome, Master."
"......Sword Demon."
The Heavenly Demon spoke as he looked at the man who had entered the hall.
"Hahaha, how amusing. I heard you were soundly beaten by the Yin-Yang Demon, but I didn't expect to see you driven into such a corner."
"....I did not lose."
The Heavenly Demon glared at the Sword Demon with murderous eyes.
"Then what happened?"
"It was a draw."
"I feel this every time, but that Yin-Yang Demon really is an incredible human. To think he could fight an inhuman monster to a draw."
The Sword Demon spoke with genuine admiration. He was truly impressed. He knew the Yin-Yang Demon was unfathomably strong, but he had never imagined the man could hold his own against a near-immortal being.
"So, was that arm torn off by him?"
".....Yes."
"Heh, perhaps the title of the Greatest Demon of All Time should be handed over to the Yin-Yang Demon."
The Sword Demon continued, his voice laced with mockery.
"Did you come here just to ridicule me?"
"Of course not."
The Sword Demon smirked.
"I brought a gift, Master."
"A gift?"
"Someone you’ll be absolutely crazy for."
At the Heavenly Demon's question, the Sword Demon grinned.
"Bring him in!"
The Sword Demon shouted toward the entrance. A moment later, a warrior dragged in a tightly bound Lee Yeon.
"Ho."
The Heavenly Demon let out a sound of admiration upon seeing Lee Yeon.
"What do you think?" the Sword Demon asked with a smile.
"I agree that this is the finest of gifts," the Heavenly Demon replied, nodding his head.
"Untie the ropes," the Sword Demon commanded the warrior.
"B-but..."
The warrior beside him stammered in confusion. He knew that the man bound before him was Lee Yeon—the Grand General of the Imperial Court and the man known as the Death God of the North. To be told to untie such a man was bewildering.
"Do not worry. Are you not in the presence of the Heavenly Demon? No one can harm you here. Besides, his internal energy has been sealed. What is there to fear?"
"I understand."
Hearing the Sword Demon's words, the man cautiously began to untie the ropes while keeping a close eye on Lee Yeon. He was ready to bolt at the slightest sign of an attack.
Crunch!
It happened in an instant. A sickening sound echoed in the warrior's ears. He blinked, confused by the sudden noise, only to feel a sudden, overwhelming explosion of pain in his head.
"Gack—"
With that final sound, the warrior’s consciousness snapped. He was dead.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Having crushed the warrior's head in the blink of an eye, Lee Yeon began to shake his head. He was trying to clear the brain fluid and blood splattered across his forehead.
"My, my. Heavenly Demon, why didn't you save him?" the Sword Demon asked reproachfully.
"He has merely left this world of endless suffering for the paradise of the afterlife."
"I suppose we should pray he was a devout believer, then," the Sword Demon replied with a thin smile.
"As expected of Demonic Cult scum."
Lee Yeon looked at them with a look of pure loathing after hearing their conversation.
"To stand by and watch the death of your own subordinate without a second thought."
"I don't think the man who just killed that subordinate has much room to talk," the Sword Demon chuckled.
"Hmph. What does it matter if I kill an enemy?"
Vrooooom!
Lee Yeon began to circulate his internal energy. Immediately, the sword hanging at the dead warrior's waist began to float into the air.
"Oh? I'm certain I sealed your internal energy."
The Sword Demon looked on with a puzzled expression. He had personally sealed Lee Yeon's energy, so seeing him use it now was unexpected.
"I am a Half-Immortal who has reached a Great Realm! How could a crude seal possibly hold me!"
Lee Yeon glared at the Sword Demon with wild eyes and roared.
"I’ll kill you first! Sword Demon!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Lee Yeon's sword flew toward the Sword Demon like a bolt of lightning.
Swish!
"Hmm."
The Sword Demon watched the sword flying toward him and drew his own blade. He swung it in a fluid, graceful motion.
The Sword Demon's blade met Lee Yeon's sword. However, something strange happened. Despite colliding with Lee Yeon's sword, which was infused with immense strength, no thunderous clash erupted from the Sword Demon's blade.
Sliiiice.
Instead, the sound of something being cut filled the air. Startled, Lee Yeon looked ahead.
He saw it. His sword was being sliced apart, starting from the tip. It was being cut down—his ultimate technique, rendered utterly futile. Lee Yeon's expression crumbled into despair.
"How cute."
The Sword Demon looked at Lee Yeon with a calm expression, as if he were watching a child's tantrum.
"............"
Lee Yeon felt a wave of immense humiliation, but he couldn't find the words to speak. He had realized that this man existed on an entirely different dimension than himself.
"Heavenly Demon, what do you think?"
"His realm is shallow, but he will suffice as a sacrifice."
"That’s a relief."
The Sword Demon chuckled.
Whoosh.
The Sword Demon swung his sword again.
Slash!
Thud.
In an instant, both of Lee Yeon's legs were severed, and his body slammed into the floor.
"Aaaaaagh!"
Lee Yeon screamed in agony. He felt the sensation below his thighs vanish instantly.
"Uaaaaaaagh!"
Desperate screams tore from Lee Yeon's throat.
"Chew thoroughly so you don't get indigestion," the Sword Demon said, looking at the Heavenly Demon on the throne.
"I shall keep that in mind."
The Heavenly Demon smiled. It had been a long time since he’d had such a feast.
"Then, I shall take my leave."
With those words, the Sword Demon walked out of the Great Hall. The Heavenly Demon watched his retreating back, then turned his gaze to the floor.
There lay Lee Yeon, his limbs severed, squirming on the ground. The Heavenly Demon smiled. It was pathetic and amusing to see him struggling to live even in such a state.
"Let us become one."
The Heavenly Demon spoke to the struggling Lee Yeon.
Vrooooom!
A thick, dark, and chilling Demonic Qi began to erupt from his body. The released energy slowly began to burrow into Lee Yeon.
Flash!
"No... No!!... NOOOOOO!"
Lee Yeon felt the Demonic Qi piercing into his very marrow and let out a final, agonizing scream.
"Aaaaaagh!"
Only the desperate screams of the man once known as the Grand General of the World echoed through the Great Hall.
*
After some time had passed, the screams of the Grand General abruptly stopped.
Creak.
The Sword Demon opened the door and stepped back inside. He slowly scanned the interior of the hall.
The hall was clean. Though there were signs of destruction here and there, there wasn't a single drop of blood or any trace of a corpse.
Always so tidy.
The Sword Demon felt a chill run down his spine. Lee Yeon had been a living human, even with his limbs severed. Yet now, not a single trace of him remained. It was as if he had never existed at all.
Soon, there would be no evidence anywhere that he had ever lived. He would naturally be forgotten. It was impossible not to feel a shiver.
"Was the meal to your liking?"
The Sword Demon looked up at the Heavenly Demon on the throne.
"It was quite satisfying," the Heavenly Demon replied tonelessly.
"For someone so satisfied, your sleeve still looks rather empty."
The Sword Demon pointed to the Heavenly Demon's arm, which still showed no signs of regenerating.
"It seems that absorbing a master of the Profound Realm is not enough to heal it."
The Heavenly Demon spoke with a calm face.
"Hah."
The Sword Demon let out a hollow laugh. He hadn't imagined that even sacrificing Lee Yeon wouldn't be enough to trigger recovery.
"Just what did the Yin-Yang Demon do to you?" the Sword Demon asked, genuinely curious.
As far as he knew, the Heavenly Demon was an immortal being. A being that could be temporarily repelled but never killed. That immortality was based on an unbelievable regenerative power that restored him almost instantly, no matter the wound.
Yet, that very immortality had been compromised by the anomaly known as the Yin-Yang Demon. How could he not be curious?
"He twisted it."
"Twisted what?"
"My immortality."
The Heavenly Demon continued in a flat voice.
"Is such a thing even possible?"
The Sword Demon looked aghast. Even if the man had mastered the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, which twists the flow of energy, the Heavenly Demon's immortality was a concept, not a mere flow or attack. How could such a thing be twisted?
".........Has he... reached the Harmony Realm?" the Sword Demon asked, swallowing hard.
"Perhaps."
The Heavenly Demon spoke matter-of-factly. It was exactly as he said. The man might have reached the Harmony Realm—the realm of the Immortals, where one transcends everything to eventually perform miracles.
If not for that, there was no way to explain how he, who had reached the realm of a Demonic Immortal, had suffered a wound that would not heal.
"Good heavens..."
The Sword Demon wore a look of pure shock. He had never imagined that anyone other than the inhuman Heavenly Demon could reach the Harmony Realm.
At the same time, he finally understood. He understood why an inhuman being who had lived for centuries had suffered such an indelible humiliation.