Chapter 209
Chapter 209
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: News from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains (1)
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Whiiiii.
Silence hung heavy inside the Blood God Hall.
The Cult Leader, leaning back on his jade throne with a bored expression, finally spoke.
"I can't figure it out."
The failure of the Eight Thousand Apostles was unavoidable, sure.
"But I never imagined we'd lose the Awakening Stone."
Forty-four steps up.
Beyond them stood the golden jade throne.
Pung Gaek swallowed dryly under the piercing gaze from that dizzying height.
"Just as I said. Jeok Mu-gyeong was beyond control. And the enemy's counterattack was fierce."
"True enough. The appearance of the Flame Light Blade Demon and the Poison Eye Divine Sword was unexpected."
"The righteous faction's counterattack was more organized than anticipated. Even the sacrificial offerings we thought would be easy to obtain fought back ferociously."
"Coincidences upon coincidences. How convenient."
"I apologize for the failure of the Eight Thousand Apostles. However, as I said before."
"Jeok Mu-gyeong's death isn't the issue."
The Blood Cult Leader growled lowly.
"How do you plan to compensate for wasting the Awakening Stone that our cult poured our blood and sweat into creating?"
As his voice seethed with killing intent, the air in the hall hummed ominously.
Ha—. What a thing to create.
"We sacrificed three hundred young boys and girls from the Southeast, trained in our cult's martial arts! You know how difficult that was, don't you?"
"...I do."
The Blood Dew Stone gained more power the purer and stronger the sacrifices offered to it.
To that end, the Blood Cult Leader had captured innocent young children, trained them in martial arts for years, and offered them all up.
"Grk. Years of waiting, all for naught..."
The bigger problem was that the Blood Cult no longer had a suitable source for more sacrifices.
"I am not one to forgive mistakes leniently."
Srulk.
As his finger tapping the throne's armrest flicked, over a dozen shadows appeared along the red carpet stretching from the hall's entrance.
'Thousand Kills Blood Demon Unit.'
Blood Ghosts who served the Cult Leader directly.
Each one a super-elite expert, proficient in all manner of evil sorcery—not to be trifled with.
'Not just the Thousand Kills Blood Demon Unit.'
Beyond them stood four figures.
'The Blood Cult's Four Great Protectors.'
A hunched old man, a seductive middle-aged woman with a bewitching smile, a giant over eight feet tall with a head three times larger than normal.
And finally, what caught Pung Gaek's eye was a middle-aged swordsman clad in a snow-white robe that seemed out of place.
'Northern Protector Won Myeong-hak.'
His eyes closed in meditation, he looked like a lofty Taoist sage cultivating the Dao. But Pung Gaek knew he was the strongest in the hall after the Cult Leader.
He was even a member of the Blood Cult Discipline Hall, the organization's most formidable force that not even the Cult Leader could fully control.
'Bringing them out means he won't let this slide easily.'
Sharp killing intent prickled his skin from all directions, and Pung Gaek felt cold sweat trickle down his forehead.
"Cult Leader. After all our years together, isn't this too much?"
"Heh heh. Even the world's Three Thousand avoid fights when they can. You must be scared."
"Even at the Three Thousand level, I'm human. Some things are impossible to oppose."
"You've become quite meek."
Pfft.
Pung Gaek cautiously opened his mouth toward the chuckling Cult Leader.
"As atonement, tell me what you desire. I'll obtain it somehow, like before."
"What I desire..."
The Cult Leader smirked bitterly, stroking his chin and twisting his gaze askew.
"Hmm. I don't want anything anymore."
"Do you need spirit medicines? If you wish, I can fetch a new martial arts manual."
"Haha. Your elusive movement technique is useful. But now, I have only one desire. Can you bring it?"
Sssss—.
Pung Gaek was certain, sensing the heavy pressure descending from the throne alongside that chilling gaze.
'The Cult Leader has already perfected the Blood Cult's martial arts.'
The blood-red aura rising from his entire body clearly showed he had mastered the True Demon Blood God Art, passed down only to Blood Cult Leaders through generations.
'To perfect that vicious demonic art, where the latter half shreds the body and bursts blood vessels if incomplete.'
There was only one way he could have done it.
'He fully mastered the Beyond Heaven Indestructible Diamond Scripture.'
If Jeok Mu-gyeong wielded heterodox flame true energy, the Cult Leader had gained the indestructible power to harden his body like metal.
With an unbreakable physique, he could swiftly conquer even the bizarre demonic arts impossible for mortals.
'Very few among the Eight Thousand have mastered it due to its difficulty. As expected of the Cult Leader.'
As he pondered, the Cult Leader spoke curtly.
"Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
"!"
"Can you bring me the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
"...Impossible. Even I lack confidence against even one of the Northern Demonic Cult's supreme lords, let alone the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
"Pity."
Pfshk.
Pung Gaek sprang back from the razor-sharp killing intent.
Whirlik!
In the blink of an eye, he'd retreated a zhang. A sword qi trembled where he'd stood moments before.
"Heh heh heh. In the end, you have nothing to offer me."
"...Cult Leader. Name something else."
The pleading Pung Gaek earned a scoff from the Cult Leader.
"Well, your help has been significant thus far. I'll let this one slide."
What else would suffice?
The Cult Leader, alternating between rage and childish giggles like a broken toy, snapped his fingers.
"Kekeke. Ah, them."
He flicked his red tongue between jagged teeth and shouted.
"Demonic Path's Four Flowers."
"Demonic Path's Four Flowers? You mean Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Leader Gal Jung-hyeok's beloved disciples?"
"Yes. They should make fine gifts of atonement for the lost Awakening Stone."
Have you considered it?
The Cult Leader shrugged, his eyes blazing as he leered downward.
"They call them the future of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Imagine those bitches writhing under me! Wouldn't that be thrilling?"
Pung Gaek cautiously asked the sadistic, madly laughing Cult Leader.
"...Do you truly intend to wage war on the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
"Heh heh heh. The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains need only one tiger."
Two tigers in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
How could he not know it referred to the split Southern and Northern Demonic Cults—the Blood Cult and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?
Since the Heavenly Demon Progenitor declared the founding of a demonic sect in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, the two sides had been divided and antagonistic for centuries.
The Blood Cult Leader was now declaring an end to that history.
"It's time to show those heretics claiming orthodoxy for centuries who the true heirs of the demonic path are."
"Not an easy task. The Northern Demonic Cult's Heavenly Demon Divine Art is as fearsome as your True Demon Blood God Art."
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
The peerless martial art compiled by the Heavenly Demon Progenitor from his lifetime's insights in his later years.
In demonic circles, it was common knowledge that the Blood Cult lagged behind the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult because of it.
"Is it, now?"
But the throne's occupant replied with a twisted, mad grin.
Click.
As he beckoned, a dark curtain parted, revealing countless children imprisoned behind bars.
Pung Gaek's eyes twitched at the sight.
"These are..."
"New sacrifices."
"Aren't these followers of the Blood Cult's Six Demon Veins?"
"It occurred to me—no need to raise sacrifices separately."
I am the Blood Cult's supreme lord.
I can use as many as needed.
"Have you lost your mind? Sacrificing your own followers?"
"Heh heh heh. I am the Blood Cult's god, the proxy of the Blood God! It is their duty to offer blood gratefully even in death at my divine command."
Ignoring the sobs from beyond the iron bars, he bellowed.
"Soon, I shall build the grandest, most magnificent altar!"
This is just the beginning.
"The fiercer the war with the Demonic Cult, the more— the finer—sacrifices I can offer!"
And then?
Grrk.
Clenching the air, the Cult Leader unleashed bloodshot eyes and cackled maniacally.
"I can create the most perfect Awakening Stone. With countless lives, blood, despair, and grief!"
Do you grasp the meaning?
"That I shall become the lord of the new heavens."
As the Cult Leader burst into wild laughter, dark demonic energy spread throughout the Blood God Hall.
'Urk.'
Reeling from the suffocating demonic storm, Pung Gaek looked up at the throne and thought.
'He's completely mad. The demonic energy has fully eroded his marrow.'
The Beyond Heaven Indestructible Diamond Scripture granted a body resilient enough for unmasterable demonic arts, but it couldn't save his mind.
'A deranged absolute being—the worst possible existence.'
As he thought that, Pung Gaek worried the Cult Leader might turn the entire Blood Cult into one massive altar.
'If he succeeds, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains—no, the world—will drown in blood.'
Amid shivers at that horrific future, a figure suddenly flashed in his mind.
—What's this? Has the guard dog turned traitor?
A mysterious young weirdo of unknown identity.
'Can you handle these people? Nameless one.'
For now, I have no choice but to trust you.
Pung Gaek's gaze turned beyond the grand hall, to the open sky.
Pwang!
As he cast his fishing line.
"Won't your friend come today?"
Moyong So-hye bounced over and asked.
No need to wonder who she meant.
Only one quasi-friend existed.
"Instructor Neung isn't coming."
"Too bad. He was fun. He kind of led the mood."
Did animals of similar affinity connect somehow?
Unfortunately, he couldn't agree in the slightest.
"Fun? He was just annoying and irritating."
Peace had returned to the wetlands at last. What a relief.
But Moyong So-hye wasn't the only one lamenting Instructor Neung Pung-un's absence.
"Hm? Instructor Neung really won't come anymore?"
Not even Jegal Tan, enjoying righteous faction chit-chat.
"I was learning to make fishing rods."
Even Nangong Yun-ho, who rarely showed emotion, seemed oddly downcast.
"What! I was going to redeem yesterday's failure! He ran away!"
Oddly, Un Ho-seung's gang regretted it too.
"Hoho! Refreshing! The irritating guy's gone."
Only Baek Ri-seol was pleased.
Her lack of sociability made agreement depressing.
'Ugh. This is weird.'
I thought I'd been teaching diligently.
"What am I lacking, exactly?"
Handsome. Good personality.
Skills incomparable.
Nothing to yield, he boasted inwardly. But one thing nagged him.
'Wait. Instructor Neung was the flower girl's first love.'
Even perfect him might improve by emulating Neung Pung-un's strengths.
'To appear an even more perfect instructor to the flower girl.'
When he asked for improvement points as an instructor, Un Ho-seung stepped up.
"Things to learn from Instructor Neung?"
Un Ho-seung immediately pointed out his merits.
"He's super diligent!"
The nearby Jeokga twins nodded in agreement.
"Unlike the temporary instructor, he guided us seriously."
"Right. His passionate demeanor was the model instructor."
At the positive reviews, Chu Un-hwi countered.
"Compared to me, then? I think I'm pretty passionate too."
He got looks like he'd eaten something bad.
"You don't know? We can't tell if you're an instructor or fisherman!"
"You just stand there blankly without saying a word every day."
"True. It helps, though. I could never be an instructor like that."
Their responses bordered on insults. Turning, his trusted allies whistled at their feet or sky.
Clear agreement.
"Damn it."
No more fishing.
As he snapped the rod, Un Ho-seung yelped in protest.
"What are you doing! You broke the rod!"
"...I'm not a fisherman."
"It's fine! I didn't expect much anyway. And if you quit fishing, the temporary instructor's just a lazy bum. Better a lazy guy who fishes like now."
"......"
Staring at the sky to quell his anger, Chu Un-hwi quietly clenched his fist.
Bak!
"Guhk!"
As Un Ho-seung toppled backward, Dang-gan shouted.
"He spoke truth, and the instructor turns violent!"
"......"
No will to retort.
His already parched motivation withered further.
As his heart crumbled, Chu Un-hwi left one remark.
"Instructor Neung would be in advanced swordsmanship class now."
Go find him if you want.
With that, Chu Un-hwi trudged out of the wetlands.