Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: The End of the Demonic Path (2)
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“How dare you, filthy demonic filth, set foot in the dragon's domain! Not a single one of you will leave here alive!”
Bukgung Chang charged forward like a thunderbolt, pushing back the members of the Ten Demon Alliance who were breaking through the castle gates.
The defense unit he led perfectly surrounded the breached gate, mounting a defensive battle.
“Disciples of the Righteous Path Alliance, draw your swords! Today, we avenge our Lord!”
The warriors of the Righteous Path Alliance engaged the enemies leaping over the walls.
Even atop the narrow ramparts, they displayed their unique coordinated attacks and solidly built sword techniques, forming an iron-clad defense.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang.*
Just as the sound of clashing weapons echoed from all directions.
“Open the gates!”
Yuk Hak, who had been assessing the situation from the wall, shouted with his internal energy and leaped down.
Presently, behind him on horseback, five hundred Iron-Blooded warriors charged out like a thunderbolt.
“We will crush the enemy’s left flank at the base of the wall!”
*Roar—!*
Meanwhile, watching the scene, I let out a sigh of relief.
‘It’s still okay for now.’
At a glance, it might have seemed precarious, but perhaps because the numbers were similar, we weren't being pushed back significantly.
In fact, in some areas, we were overwhelmingly dominant.
The only problem was the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance.
“Hoho, Sect Leader Jin's strategy was a complete success.”
The elder from Huashan next to me let out a hearty laugh, and others chimed in.
“Indeed. Look at those demonic fiends. They seem weakened from starvation.”
“Is that all? The Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance must be clutching his stomach by now. After all, isn't sustenance the source of all life?”
“This is it. After today, the demonic path will be wiped from the martial world. Hahaha.”
“This humble monk agrees.”
Even as disciples from their own sects were dying, the elders cracked jokes.
These were disciples they had eaten and slept alongside for over a decade. It was impossible for them not to be anxious.
Moreover, all of them were monks and Daoists who had not started families.
To them, the disciples of their sects were their sons, nephews, and grandsons.
The reason they were joking like this was to ease their tension before facing the great enemy.
For there is nothing weaker than a sword gripped by fear.
And then.
*Heavenly Demon, Manifest—!*
*The Divine Cult is Invincible—!*
Finally, the adversary we were to face appeared.
A middle-aged man in a black robe.
*Thud. Thud.*
“H-He's walking on air…!”
He appeared, showcasing the Void-Walking Step, considered one of the most unfathomable movement arts alongside the Earth Shrinking Technique.
‘That was actually possible?’
As he ignored the universal law of gravity, a storm of demonic energy raged with each step he took.
*Gulp.*
“Umm.”
The nine elders let out low groans at the sight, something they couldn't believe even after seeing it with their own eyes.
Not only our allies on the battlefield but even the enemies stopped fighting to look up at the sight.
It was truly like the descent of a god.
‘This isn’t good.’
However, being overwhelmed by his presence before the fight even began was the surest path to death.
“He’s just a man. If his neck is cut and his heart is pierced, he will die.”
The nine elders, who had drawn their weapons, nodded at my words, their fighting spirit blazing.
“Sect Leader Jin is right.”
“He’s so enterprising, perhaps because he’s young.”
“Let us go.”
“Let’s.”
The enemies did not block us. They even cleared a path for us to pass easily.
*Step.*
When we arrived in the middle of the battlefield, beneath the space where he stood, the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance descended.
Simultaneously, a voice that seemed to rise from hell shook the heavens and the earth.
*Followers of the Divine Cult, stand down—!*
The Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance was essentially declaring the revival of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
The Demonic Cult, defeated only after the endless sacrifices of the Righteous Path Alliance's ancestors. For him to declare the revival of such a cult, it was only natural for the nine elders to burn with rage.
“Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance, shut that mouth!”
“There are limits to arrogance!”
“Even if you have inherited the legacy of the Heavenly Demon, that lineage will be severed again today!”
*Shhck.*
Three from Huashan, three from Wudang, three from Shaolin.
A total of nine transcendent masters took up positions in the nine directions around him.
“I was wondering who would face me, and it’s the elders of the Righteous Path Alliance. I see that young man from before in the back as well… You fled in a hurry last time, have you come back with resolve today?”
[That’s a provocation tactic. Don't fall for it.]
A telepathic message reached me from somewhere, as if worried I might take the bait.
But who was I?
Wasn't I the god of goading, famed for earning a thousand-year ban in an AOS game?
“I hear you lost all your subordinates and were chased away, only to barely make it back. Did you leave your guts behind? Elders, please bear with him for a moment.”
I shrugged, and the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance smirked.
“You are the first who does not tremble before me in my current state. I acknowledge it. You are a true warrior.”
“We’re all born human. A knife to the neck kills us all the same. What's there to be afraid of?”
“Quite the silver tongue.”
“Why is the great Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance so long-winded?”
“Look around you carefully. It will be the last sight you see in your life.”
At that signal, the nine elders took their stances.
I prepared to unleash the Form-Shifting Displacement and threw out my final trump card of a line.
“By the way, I heard you abandoned your entire family and fled alone during the rebellion, right? Does someone like that have the right to judge another's courage?”
A line meant to strike the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance’s rawest nerve.
*Kwoooong.*
The battle began as a mountain-like pressure bore down on the surroundings.
***
In planning this operation, the nine elders and I had made one assumption.
The Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance is strong.
He might even be stronger than the former Lord of the Martial Emperor Fortress, who is considered the greatest under heaven.
In other words, even if the nine elders and I joined forces, we could not defeat him.
So, we opted for a thoroughly defensive battle.
That’s right.
Our goal from the start was five days.
We decided to drag out the time by defending for that entire period.
It’s an undeniable fact that offense is the best defense, but that only holds true when both sides are of similar strength.
The nine elders grouped into threes, forming a single formation that enveloped the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance.
A jade-colored hand, imbued with immense energy, crashed down upon their iron-clad formation.
*Kwaaaang!*
“Keoheok!”
“Keuk.”
The elders groaned, but they succeeded in blocking his attack.
‘It’s working!’
With a look of surprise, the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance spoke softly.
“So the plan is to stall for time. Do you not feel anger at the death of your Alliance Lord? The righteousness of the orthodox sects is truly fleeting.”
It was a blatant provocation.
“Bullshit.”
I fired a Battle Lord Arrow at his forehead.
*Tuk.*
Although it was flicked away with a casual gesture, the opening allowed the nine elders to reform their line.
This was my role in this fight.
To get on his nerves and reduce the damage as much as possible.
The Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance took a step forward with a disdainful expression.
*Kwoong.*
“Umm!”
“Keoheop.”
The nine elders gritted their teeth under the mountain-like pressure.
It was undoubtedly the legendary Heavenly Demon Supremacy Step.
“You’re holding up well.”
Another step.
*Kwoong!*
“Keoheok.”
I couldn't just stand by.
I had to do something to lessen the pressure on the elders.
*Pzzzzzt.*
I gathered the force of a pre-detonated Chain Ring Force at my fingertips and swiped.
It was a new version of the Ultimate Death Force that had split the Dao Sect Leader in half.
The silent Ultimate Death Force flew towards the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance.
*Pajik.*
It collided with the jade-colored hand and vanished futilely.
I never thought I could kill him from the start.
It was enough just to lighten the burden on the nine elders.
As if it had an effect, a blue light enveloped the elders' bodies.
The elders had fully unleashed their internal energy.
The Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance’s jade-colored hand struck them once more.
*Kwaaaang!*
“You cannot bring us to our knees with just this!”
“The demonic path can never defeat the righteous path!”
The nine elders showed their confidence.
“How pathetic.”
The Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance sneered and whipped his jade-colored hand like a lash.
*Kwaaaang!*
Once.
*Kwaaaang!*
Twice.
*Kwaaaang!*
Thrice.
And.
*Kwaaaang!*
On the fourth strike, the nine elders fell to their knees.
“Not yet!”
If the elders were lost here, everyone would die.
Since he was human, there had to be a slight opening after using this much power.
“It's not over, you bastard!”
*Wooooong! Kwaaaaaang!*
Seizing that opening, I slammed an all-out Explosive Death Force into his abdomen.
Hoping that this strike might inflict at least some damage.
*Paaaaa.*
However, the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance dispersed the force of the Explosive Death Force far too easily.
“This martial art is…”
Looking down at his hand, he seemed to recall something and then raised his head.
“The Bukgung Clan. You are a descendant of the Bukgung Clan.”
“You just figured that out?!”
*Shwaaaak!*
I sent an Ultimate Death Force at his chest while simultaneously aiming a Battle Lord Arrow at his temple.
Just then, the powerful energy of the nine elders, who had recovered, flew towards him.
*Kuwaaaang!*
Amidst the massive explosion, a black current of air rose and sucked everything in.
And from within it, a single black sword appeared.
It was the sword of the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance I had seen before.
This meant he was about to fight seriously.
“Dodge!”
I immediately shouted to those around me, but his sword swung a moment faster.
*Paaaaaa.*
“……!”
Two elders vanished without a trace.
As if they had never existed in this world.
Death.
The moment I saw that, the word flashed through my mind.
The Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance’s sword swung again.
“Yiik!”
The nine elders… no, the seven who remained, hastily set up their formation, but…
*Paaaaaa.*
“Cough.”
“Uwegh.”
They only avoided instant death, collapsing with internal injuries from the lightly swung sword.
*Grind.*
Five days, my ass.
We couldn't even last five minutes before everyone was brought to their knees.
Now, I was the only one left standing.
I put all my strength into the War King Step.
Even if I was going to die, I had to go out with a bang, didn't I?
*Paaat.*
The surrounding scenery blurred as I instantly moved behind him.
*Paang!*
The War King Thirteen Strikes, imbued with the force of the Explosive Death Force, exploded on his back.
*Shwaaaak!*
The Ultimate Death Force flew towards his neck.
*Kwaaaang!*
An Explosive Death Force imbued with gravitational pull detonated at the back of his head.
I was out of breath and my force was depleted, but I used the Form-Shifting Displacement again.
This guy wasn't someone who could be dealt with by this alone.
*Hwooo.*
As the dust settled, his unscathed figure became visible.
“If this is all you have, you will die.”
I didn't argue.
I had to focus all my senses.
Hell Realm.
The fourth stage of the War King Arts, which consisted of five stages in total.
*Pajik. Jzzzzzzzt.*
I drew out every last strand of my internal energy and converted it into force.
“Keuk, keuuuuu.”
The force rose like a flood, and a shock incomparably greater than the Chain Ring Force struck my entire body.
This wasn't the end.
‘The natural energy between heaven and earth flows ceaselessly. A warrior merely traps that natural energy in their body for personal use. 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. Like this.’
The concept of natural energy, which I had realized through the teachings of the Righteous Path Alliance Lord.
I gathered the surrounding natural energy through the gravitational pull of the Explosive Death Force.
While at the same time, using the principle of compression from the Ultimate Death Force, I began to condense the force into one point.
A pain as if my entire body was being squeezed washed over me.
A second that felt like a minute passed, and finally, all the force shrank to the size of a tiny grain of millet.
A power great enough to unleash the Explosive Death Force five times was confined within.
I shot that mass of force at the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance.
And then.
*Fwoooosh!*
The battlefield was filled with a gray light.