Chapter 215
Chapter 215
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: The Demon Extermination War (8)
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The Ten Demon Alliance.
The greatest power in the Demonic Path, an alliance formed by the ten heavens that uphold the demonic world.
But.
Today, the headquarters of the Ten Demon Alliance was rife with death.
*Thrust!*
A blood-red hand pierced through his solar plexus.
“Guh…”
It was the end for the supreme swordsman, the master of the Sword Sect, who had once looked down upon the world.
“Where is the Alliance Lord?”
“You… want to know?”
“…”
“Kekeke… keh.”
The light faded from the eyes of the Sword Sect Master, who had been smiling, his teeth stained crimson with the blood he coughed up.
*Splat! Splatter.*
Bukgung Baek smashed his head, sending blood and brain matter flying in all directions.
It was a gruesome sight, but Bukgung Baek walked deeper into the Ten Demon Alliance's territory with an indifferent gaze.
*Step, step.*
To eradicate the Ten Demon Alliance, the ones who had dragged the Bukgung Clan into the abyss.
* * *
Ever since my past life, I've always put a lot of trust in my gut feelings.
I was especially proud of my intuition when it came to people. When I worked part-time at a barbecue restaurant, I could tell if a customer was going to be a pain just from their first impression, and I was never wrong.
Of course, I ended up getting fired for being "insincere" because I avoided all the troublesome customers.
But hey, it was fine.
Less than a month after I was fired, that restaurant was exposed for mislabeling the origin of its meat, reusing side dishes, and ignoring expiration dates. It got its business suspended, was hit with a hefty fine, and eventually went under.
Watching a famous, popular restaurant with plenty of regulars go bust in an instant made me think, *Yeah, running your own business is no joke.*
Oh, and for the record, I was the one who reported them.
It definitely wasn't because they didn't pay my holiday allowance or paid me less than minimum wage. I made the decision with the heart of a patriot, to uphold justice in Myeonmok-dong.
Anyway, it felt like that sharp intuition from my past life was back.
Heavenly Demon's Advent, Ten Thousand Demons Bow!
Heavenly Demon's Advent, Divine Cult Invincible!
Heavenly Demon's Advent, Reign Over the World!
Because today, I could feel a grim determination in the chants of those Ten Demon Alliance bastards.
“…We must retreat.”
“Without doing anything?”
I shook my head at the Righteous Path Alliance Lord's question.
Normally, we would have feigned an attack, maybe even crossed swords for a bit before slowly pulling back, but today, a chilling intuition told me we couldn't do that.
“This is their last gasp. They'll fall apart on their own soon enough. So let's just be patient. There's no need to send our disciples to a needless death, is there?”
“Hmm… Let's do that.”
The Righteous Path Alliance Lord nodded and gave the order, and the Alliance's formation began to retreat.
In half a day, we had given up nearly a hundred li of ground.
It was a distance so great that non-martial artists couldn't have even marched it, but the real problem was just beginning.
Heavenly Demon's Advent, Ten Thousand Demons Bow!
Heavenly Demon's Advent, Divine Cult Invincible!
Heavenly Demon's Advent, Reign Over the World!
Even after the sun set and darkness fell, those Ten Demon Alliance bastards kept chanting and advancing.
“…Are they insane?”
Marching so recklessly into territory that wasn't even theirs, a place where their enemy had just been.
Watching them approach like a horde of fanatics, I felt like I finally understood why cults were so popular in my past life.
The leaders of the Righteous Path Alliance, perhaps thinking they could retreat no further, gathered around the Alliance Lord.
“I understand your concern for the disciples' lives, Alliance Lord, but if we keep running, our morale will plummet. I believe we'll suffer fewer casualties if we settle this now.”
“Namu Amitabha. This humble monk agrees. I am reluctant to take lives or witness such acts, but if by some chance these demons were to scatter across the land, would it not surely bring suffering to the common people?”
“Wudang's swords will not be broken by such demons!”
“Shaolin is prepared to break its vow against killing today.”
Their words had merit.
If we kept running, we'd end up with nothing.
And it went without saying that the martial artists of Huashan, Wudang, and Shaolin, with their thousand-year histories, were powerful.
But.
‘There's definitely something else going on…’
Every time I looked at the Ten Demon Alliance's formation marching toward us, I got the feeling I was watching Diablo leading an army from hell. What was I supposed to do about that?
The Alliance Lord, perhaps sharing the same thoughts as the other leaders, looked at me with a subtle gaze.
“Hmm…”
I couldn't just keep insisting on my own opinion.
Besides, no matter how much I thought about it, there were no obvious variables that could change the situation.
*Nod.*
As I quietly nodded, the Alliance Lord turned to his leaders and spoke.
“Very well. In half a shichen, we will break the demonic practitioners' advance. However, we do not know what sorcery the enemy might employ, so be prepared to retreat at a moment's notice.”
And so, the decisive battle that would be—no, *had* to be—the end of the Ten Demon Alliance began.
* * *
The Huashan Sect was the first to move.
With elegant and sharp swordsmanship reminiscent of the steep cliffs of Mount Hua, they cut down their enemies.
“Hold your positions!”
*Hap!*
In particular, the solid formation displayed by seven plum blossom swordsmen acting as a single unit drew admiration from all who watched.
Pitch-black darkness had fallen, but the glint of swords reflecting the moonlight illuminated the surroundings.
Wudang's fluid swordsmanship supported them from behind.
“Wudang disciples, form the Taiji Wisdom Formation!”
A hundred Wudang swordsmen moved as one, creating a massive sword formation.
As the formation, imbued with a subtle Daoist energy, materialized in the heart of the battlefield, the demonic energy of the Demonic Path faltered.
Between them, Shaolin's warrior monks, flaunting their battle-hardened muscles, charged out and pummeled the demonic practitioners.
*Thwack. Thump. Crack!*
As befitting Buddhist monks, they tried to avoid killing, but their staves and martial arts were more than enough to separate the bones and flesh of their enemies.
But, among the nearly five thousand demonic practitioners, could there be no masters?
*Whoosh! Craaack!*
“Kekeke, these Daoist bastards have been cooped up in the mountains for so long, they don't know the value of their own lives!”
“Indeed. Let's hurry up and send them to the hell ruled by our Demonic God.”
As supreme masters from the enemy ranks began to step forward, our side's formation wavered significantly.
In response, the masters of the Righteous Path Alliance quickly charged out to face them.
But that lasted only for a moment.
Before long, the forces of the Righteous Path Alliance began to be pushed back.
It was because the five thousand demonic practitioners of the Ten Demon Alliance charged forward, disregarding death.
With such a difference in total numbers, the number of masters was also vastly different.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang.*
Just as their weapons clashed endlessly, each aiming for the other's life.
*Whooosh.*
The Righteous Path Alliance Lord, seeking to protect the lives of his disciples, stepped forward.
*Fwhooosh!*
A purple twilight appeared in the middle of the battlefield.
It was the Purple Mist Aura, the ultimate divine art and final secret of the Huashan Sect.
“…What is this?”
I couldn't hide my astonishment at the unbelievable sight before me.
“Gaaah…”
The demonic practitioners exposed to the purple twilight died without even being able to scream.
And they didn't just die.
*Sizzzle.*
They melted away, as if struck by bone-dissolving powder.
At this incomprehensible sight, various scenes I had witnessed while learning martial arts flashed through my mind.
‘So this is the state of transformation.’
It felt different from when I saw my master's or the Great Pure Adept's martial arts.
As they say, you see as much as you know. It seemed my own level of attainment had deepened.
Of course, that wasn't what was important right now.
I quickly collected myself and advanced onto the battlefield.
It was a battle we were already winning. If I lent even a little of my strength, I could save more of our allies.
*Thud!*
I could feel a tremendous amount of force in the step I took.
My War King Arts had advanced a level during my previous fight with the Dao Sect Master.
“Die!”
As I approached the nearest group of demonic practitioners, they swung their weapons in alarm, but.
*Bang!*
The War King Thirteen Strikes, unleashed like a thunderbolt, shattered their bodies.
One blow per person, thirteen casualties with one strike.
After that, nothing could stop me.
*Vrooom… Krakoom!*
The new Explosive Death Force brought about mass death.
*Screeech!*
The Ultimate Death Force tore through the enemies' abdomens.
“What an insolent brat!”
*Kuaaaa!*
I blocked the threatening attacks of supreme masters with my War Dragon Aura and joined forces with my allies to finish them off.
‘This is the Righteous Path for you.’
The Righteous Path's surefire method of fighting: finish off weak opponents in an instant and gang up on the strong ones.
A quarter of an hour passed like that.
Only after defeating countless enemies did I find a moment to survey the state of the battle.
‘Hmm.’
The Righteous Path Alliance was completely overwhelming the Ten Demon Alliance.
Not only were their individual martial arts powerful, but their teamwork was also excellent, thanks to decades of fighting side-by-side.
Above all.
‘As expected.’
The role of the Righteous Path Alliance Lord, fighting at the very front, was crucial.
As I approached him, he swung his sword and spoke.
“You're here?”
“Yes.”
*Stab. Stab.*
It was a plain sword style that didn't create the plum blossoms symbolic of Huashan's swordsmanship—no, looking closer, it wasn't even a style.
It was just a series of simple movements: a thrust would pierce, a pull would slice.
But watching him, I couldn't hide my astonishment.
“…”
Because those simple movements contained the true essence of the unity of sword and self.
Perhaps sensing my astonished gaze, the Righteous Path Alliance Lord calmly explained the principles.
“When you reach the pinnacle, everything becomes ordinary. For example, this is also possible.”
*Fwoosh!*
He thrust his sword in a straight line, and a large plum blossom bloomed.
“Hah!”
How could I not be surprised?
From that simple movement, the Plum Blossom Sword—called the pinnacle of illusionary swordsmanship—had unfolded.
The lesson didn't end there.
“I was just observing you. The forms of the martial art you've learned seem simple.”
“Yes.”
He was right. The War King Arts didn't really have forms. If I had to name any, it would only be the striking and smashing motions of the War King Thirteen Strikes.
“The simpler something is, the more power it holds. But if one pursues simplicity without understanding complexity, they will never reach the truth.”
Words I couldn't comprehend.
But they were the teachings of an absolute master.
Furthermore, they were the teachings of a martial artist who had walked a different path from Master Bukgung, who had reached his enlightenment through actual combat.
Every single word was priceless.
“The natural energy between heaven and earth flows ceaselessly. A martial artist merely traps that natural energy in their body and uses it for their own purposes. But what is the path of martial arts?”
“…”
“It is the process of a person becoming one with the nature of heaven and earth. In other words, my will transcends the sword and reaches nature itself. Like this.”
He swung his sword horizontally.
*Warp.*
Space itself was severed, and dozens of demonic practitioners were slaughtered.
A blood-soaked scene unfolded, but the Righteous Path Alliance Lord did not stop his lesson.
“What did you feel?”
“…I felt the energy between heaven and earth being severed.”
“You saw correctly.”
He moved his sword once more.
This time, instead of cutting space, he added his energy to it.
*KABOOM!*
“Kuaaack—!”
A massive explosion rang out, followed by screams.
The explosion occurred because the existing natural energy and his internal energy failed to mix.
“How large do you think the energy was?”
“It seemed slightly larger than a grain of rice.”
“You saw that correctly as well. That old friend of mine certainly brought a fine grandson. That's right. By using natural energy, you can produce great power with only a small amount of your own.”
He smiled faintly and looked back at me.
Meeting his gaze, I felt a great sense of doubt.
“…Why are you bestowing these teachings upon me?”
“Because you are the sworn grandson of my dear friend, of course.”
“Then why do I feel a resolve to face death in your sword?”
At my question, the Righteous Path Alliance Lord smiled faintly and looked ahead.
“I only realized it just before you arrived.”
He held his sword upright.
“That the bloodbath foretold by the heavens lies before us.”
“You noticed rather late.”
A middle-aged man of average build appeared before us.
“…!”
The man exuded no energy at all, but the moment I saw him, the hair on my body stood on end, and I couldn't stop trembling.
*Tremble, tremble, tremble.*
Death.
That was it.
The middle-aged man who had appeared before my eyes was the very concept that humans feared most.
“The… Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance!”