Chapter 216 Blood Cult (5)

A door.

It was literally a massive door.

No way.

A door.

Just a door.

According to the records of the First Heavenly Demon, this 'door' was a means to cross over to the original world.

Was this that door?

Had it remained in the form of the Muhonjibyeok?

"Blood rules the world! Blood God descends!"

The Blood Cult followers were lost in madness.

Even activating just a tenth of the Muhonjibyeok would make one the cult leader, but I'd not only transformed the entire wall—I'd turned the largest section into a door.

Even Ilmajon, who had been lounging around with an air of dissatisfaction, was now shouting the cult's slogan at the top of his lungs.

What the hell do I do now?

Hey. What if it takes me back to my original world?

Are you insane? My world has no martial arts, no Divine Cult, nothing.

Honestly, even if I returned to my original world in this state, it wouldn't be a huge problem for me.

Sure, I'd be some guy who dropped out of the sky with no ID, so there'd be minor hassles, but compared to Pa Cheon, they were nothing.

That guy would have to cross over sealed inside a sword.

Pa Cheon fell silent for a moment after my words, then spoke.

……Yeah. Check first.

I stood before the door.

It looked like something no human strength could budge, but as soon as I placed my hand on it, the door began to open on its own with tremendous vibrations and a deafening roar.

Fortunately, the door itself wasn't all that thick, so even if it wouldn't open from the inside, I could probably use the Blink Jade to get out.

Worst case, I could just exit through another part of the cave.

Beyond the door lay thick darkness.

"Hey."

I turned and said,

"If it's quiet when I come back, you're all dead."

The Blood Cult followers only raised their voices louder at my words.

No one would dare follow now.

I stepped through the door.

And then, at some point—

Thung.

Before I even realized it, it felt like my body had pierced through some invisible, thin membrane.

I'd only taken one step, but the pitch-black passage suddenly lit up brightly.

Torchlights stretched out along both sides.

No way torches could burn for tens, let alone hundreds, of years without end. Some mysterious formation-like power must be at work.

"Tch, a barrier?"

I tossed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out a joke to loosen up.

But no response came.

"Hey. Pa Cheon."

I tapped the sword.

Still nothing.

"Pa Cheon? You messing with me again?"

I raised the sword, peering into the blade as if meeting its eyes.

"Not funny. I'm serious. I'm pissed."

No reaction.

At this point, I had to admit it.

Pa Cheon was gone.

Not destroyed or anything.

No evidence, but my gut told me so. My head rang once, and the feeling hit me.

Pa Cheon was fine. Just not with me right now.

"Haa."

I let out a long sigh.

This was all because Pa Cheon kept planting flags like that.

Acting all dramatic with 'What'll you do without me?!'—and now look.

The world of Murim Returner wasn't that forgiving.

I glanced back just in case.

I could 'see' the Blood Cult scum bowing and chanting. Meaning, no sound reached me.

I slowly extended my hand first.

Thud.

"Figures."

Something solid and transparent blocked me.

I punched it.

Thung—!

The cliché 'easy in, hard out' had kicked in.

Ripples spread from the impact point.

From the vibration pattern, the entire 'door,' walls, and floor were sealed off.

Save the Blink Jade for last resort.

First, check the end of this passage. No idea what happened to Pa Cheon either.

I started walking.

When Je Gal Sung's old man hit me with that... whatever formation, it was so brief I didn't notice.

But without Pa Cheon stuck to me constantly, it felt empty for sure.

My mouth itched to say something.

But they say talking to yourself is the start of becoming a cringy old dad, so I kept quiet—

"……Fuckin' bored as hell."

Suddenly, I got why the First Heavenly Demon pulled all those attention-seeking stunts.

Dropped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠alone into this world—how lonely must that have been?

"Who's worrying about who? It's my damn fate."

Just as I wondered when this damn passage would end—

Clang—!

Clang—!

Clang—!

Somewhere, the sound of metal clashing rang out.

I'd heard it before.

"A forge?"

I'd hung around Cheol Mu Geuk's workshop a lot while building rapport. It sounded just like his hammering.

Chills ran down my spine.

Hammering meant someone was ahead.

Let's go check.

The Muhonjibyeok only opens for those who inherit the Heavenly Demon's will.

Whoever was inside, they weren't hostile at least.

I cautiously approached the passage's end.

And what I saw was—

"……What the hell is that."

A hammering—

"Wooden doll?"

In an enormous workshop, too vast to guess what it was forging, a wooden doll stood with its back to me.

The source of the hammering sounds, apparently. It hammered rhythmically.

But the anvil, where something should have been, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was empty.

Just striking an empty anvil.

Then—

Whirrr—

Like a motor revving, the wooden doll's body whirred mechanically as it stood up.

Its face—

Rotated 180 degrees to face me.

The doll's face wasn't intricately carved—just basic features.

But its eyes glowed green, like embedded gems.

And then—

The wooden doll's mouth clacked open.

Whumm—.

As soon as it finished speaking, the doll's eyes turned red.

"……Fuck."

I'm screwed.

Anyone could see that wooden doll was about to attack me.

I drew up Heavenly Demon Divine Art qi to my eyes—

"?!"

Before the thought finished.

I blinked once, and the doll's face was right in front of mine.

Like it had jet thrusters—steam whooshed! from behind it.

I reflexively blinked to create distance.

Whoosh—!

The hammer swung through where my head had been.

Dizzying wind pressure!

If it hit, instant death at minimum.

Fuck!

I'd missed its movement for a split second.

Meaning this doll was at least a Super Peak master!

I gritted my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠teeth.

Without Pa Cheon, all his abilities were sealed.

Black Ox Thread poison, my acting skills—

None would work on this doll.

Powerless.

That's why Pa Cheon kept stressing what it'd be like without him.

But this wasn't time to despair.

I'd always scraped by, even in the shittiest moments.

Stay calm. Think what I can do.

I recalled Pa Cheon's words.

'Martial arts have two big roots: straight or curved.'

Hundred Steps Divine Fist is straight; Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword is curved.

'That's the starting point for counters.'

Of course, advanced arts blur the line, but the foundation holds.

The doll assumed a stance. I glared, tracking its movements.

Pssht!

It charged again.

Last time left-to-right swing; now right-to-left.

I blinked away again.

Straight line.

Adrenaline made my head spin. Pa Cheon's words again.

'Straight is fast and destructive, but easy to dodge. If you're faster.'

The doll was fast.

But—

Now I see it.

Because of my shedding rebirth?

Calm down, and I could read its trajectory. Unnaturally so.

Its linear motion made it easy even for a martial arts newbie like me.

And my speed with Blink outpaced it.

So—

Whoosh!

I stared straight at the incoming hammer.

'Don't close your eyes mid-fight.'

Recalling Pa Cheon, I focused inner energy into my right arm.

Pfpfpf!

Latent Blood Explosion layered Heavenly Demon Divine Art qi onto my arm.

Triple layer.

My arm screamed like it would snap. Still, I didn't grimace, eyes locked on the hammer's path.

Aimed at my waist!

I didn't dodge. Instead—

Thud!

I stomped a solid stance, channeling power.

The hammer closed in on my waist.

But wait.

Not yet.

Not yet.

Now.

Right before impact, I blinked.

Not behind it—to the same spot.

During the blink, its hammer had already passed through my previous position.

Blink preserved momentum, so I still had my stomping power.

The doll, swung back by recoil, body turned away.

Gotcha!

I thrust my fist at its nape.

But then—

Whirrr—!

Its head spun backward.

No—its entire upper body twisted half a turn.

"!?"

I reflexively activated Guardian Armament.

Before it fully formed—

Kwa—BOOM!

The hammer smashed my shield.

"Guhk!"

I flew back.

Skipping like a stone, tumbling, slamming into the wall before stopping.

Reeeeng—!

Tinnitus rang; blood trickled from my mouth. My body throbbed, tearing apart.

Get up.

I have to. Too early to give up.

But vision blurred.

The doll doubled, tripled, like splitting.

I forced strength into my trembling body.

Gripped the sword and stood.

I can do this.

I, Sado Hwan, can.

Blood loss dizzied me.

I assumed the Asura Twelve Forms starter stance.

Pa Cheon gone, but the Pa Cheon Sword's power remained.

One touch, and I'd cleave it.

Chanting that, I looked ahead—

Whumm?

The doll tilted its head oddly. It approached slowly, touched my spilled blood.

Suddenly, its eyes shifted from red to green.

Then it spoke.

……Master?

Meanwhile.

"……Hmm."

The man showed no reaction even as the doll's eyes turned red.

"Super Peak entry-level, huh."

The man chuckled.

No thrill even against a Super Peak beginner.

What a change from just months ago.

Even if it wasn't reality.

Thud!

The doll charged, swinging its hammer at the man's head.

He tilted his head slightly, dodging. His hair fluttered upward.

"So linear."

The hammer swung again. A tricky diagonal arc, but the man flowed aside with graceful footwork.

The doll's body followed the swing's momentum, but its head spun back. Then its upper body twisted, sweeping horizontally with the hammer.

The move that got Dong Yun.

But the man frowned.

"Not martial arts. Just tricks."

He extended his right hand.

The hammer stopped in his palm.

Pfboom!

Air burst from wind pressure, but the man didn't budge.

The doll yanked free quickly.

"Not flesh. A spirit body?"

Otherwise, he couldn't have caught it barehanded.

This space was probably a mental realm with physical manifestation.

Whirrr—!

Motor sounds revved; the doll's eyes glowed more ominously.

The man—

"Annoying."

Twitched his brow.

In that instant—

Krunch!

Krunchh!

The doll's body crumpled like wadded paper.

Its eye lights faded.

"Monster. Don't die."

The man—

Pa Cheon—muttered.

While Pretending to Be the Heavenly Demon