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The Twelve Elders of Qingcheng.
The Sect Leader and elder council of Emei.
The Patriarch of the Sichuan Tang Clan and Dok-gwi.
And first-rate masters and above, specially selected from each faction.
If this force were to march on the Heavenly Mountain, its battle strength alone was enough to spark a war between the White Path and the Black Path.
And towering above this illustrious assembly—which boasted more than ten Peak Experts alone—stood a middle-aged man who held his head high like a crane among chickens: a master of the Profound Realm, the Divine Spear.
Had such powerful martial artists ever gathered in one place? Jegal Gil, the Murim Alliance strategist leading the subjugation force, felt his chest swell with grandeur.
"You must guide us well, rising hopes of the White Path."
"O-of course!"
The ones at the root of the incident—who had, unexpectedly, caused so much of the damage—Bang Do-rim, Abbess Jeongjo, and Dang Geon-myeon—took the vanguard and led the Geomdam Subjugation Force forward.
"Cough, cough!"
"Geon-myeon! Are you all right?!"
"I-I'm fine. I won't be a burden."
The one who had discovered and deciphered the map coughed up blood while receiving his Patriarch's support. In practice, Abbess Jeongjo and Bang Do-rim had to guide everyone.
"Leave it to us."
Apart from being called a rising star, Dang Geon-myeon was physically frail, to the point that simply keeping up with the subjugation force was a struggle, requiring assistance from two Tang Clan experts at his side.
"Azure Heaven New Dragon, Abbess Jeongjo. Tell us what you know about the destination."
How the treasure map came into the Tang Clan's possession was no longer important. What mattered was the location of the two kidnapped women.
"The treasure map we discovered had no particular name."
"The only method was to infer the location by examining the surrounding terrain. And so, the place we discovered is here."
The group advanced northward.
Exiting Chengdu and emerging onto a deserted mountain path, the subjugation force arrived at a certain place, guided by the two rising stars.
"Sword Pavilion."
Someone murmured the name. The sheer cliffs and treacherous terrain were difficult to traverse even for the martial artists gathered here, all of whom were first-rate experts or above.
"Yes. This is the very place."
As stories of the Twin Old Eagle Swords spread, martial artists had once again eagerly devoured the life story of Emperor Shaolie.
Countless people had closed the book the moment Emperor Shaolie died, but quite a few had also studied the life of Marquis Wu, who inherited Emperor Shaolie's will.
"Is this not the heaven-sent fortress that guards Chengdu?"
"Correct. It was here that we discovered the altar."
"The Marquis Wu Shrine. It was precisely a shrine honoring Zhuge Kongming."
The three pointed to a small shrine situated on the path to Sword Pavilion. The little shrine dedicated to Marquis Wu of Zhuge was smaller than a temple, standing solitary in a spot one might easily pass by without a thought.
"This... is the Marquis Wu Shrine?"
"What about the one in Chengdu?"
Its size was small enough to draw divine fury from the Jegal Clan if they knew. Jegal Gil, the strategist who revered his ancestor, wore a dark expression.
"Ahem. It's fine. Aren't there more than one or two Marquis Wu Shrines in Sichuan?"
"Yes. Among the many Marquis Wu Shrines, the Twin Old Eagle Swords were hidden here."
Creak. Bang Do-rim was the first to step inside the Marquis Wu Shrine. He then swung his sword toward the floor and shone a torch beneath the severed floorboards.
"Ohhh!!"
Beneath the floorboards lay a long cave leading somewhere. The passage was clearly wrought by human hands, not a naturally formed cave. Tense with anticipation, the subjugation force descended underground.
Step, step.
How long did they walk?
Guided by Bang Do-rim and Abbess Jeongjo, the subjugation force broke through all manner of mechanical formations, finally emerging from the passage. Their breath caught in their throats at the sight of cliffs stretching to the left and right.
"A place like this... underground?"
"It's not underground. It's a small canyon formed beneath the cliffs!"
Dim sunlight filtering through gaps in the rock barely illuminated the darkness. Within it, a golden dragon flashed its two eyes. The subjugation force spotted a young man standing before them, blocking the narrow canyon.
"Geomdam!"
"So many of you came swarming in."
Step, step. Within the sheer-walled canyon, a young man in a bamboo hat revealed himself. Twin swords shimmering with a golden dragon and phoenix were strapped across his back. He scrutinized the subjugation force and sneered.
"To think you'd seek me so fervently just to capture one man."
"Shut your mouth! Hand over Jeongja!"
"Jeongja? Ah, you mean this woman?"
The young man yanked the rope clutched in his hand. The black cloth tied beneath the rope instantly revealed to the world what it had been concealing.
"This...!"
An unconscious woman hung suspended from the cliff. Dangling by tree branches and iron swords, she looked as though a single wrong move would send her plummeting below.
Into the canyon's depths, where a churning torrent of water seemed to flow.
"You wicked villain!!"
"Calm yourself, Lust-Exorcising Abbess!"
The Lust-Exorcising Abbess flew into a rage and drew her sword, but Jegal Gil unfurled his White Feather Fan and restrained her.
"Do not fall for the provocation! It's his scheme!"
"But that Lust Demon has Abbess Jeongja!!"
"You speak as if I'm some Color Demon. I didn't touch her. If you truly suspect otherwise, ask her when she wakes."
Geomdam shrugged his shoulders and grasped the twin swords. At the fighting spirit radiating from him, every member of the subjugation force swallowed hard and raised their weapons.
"As the successor of the Heavenly Dragon Emperor Twin High Sword, I can no longer permit anyone to trespass freely upon the First Ruler's altar. For those who do not turn back—I shall break your will to fight."
"Seniors! The cave behind him leads directly to the altar!"
Bang Do-rim pointed ahead, his voice a shriek. Sunlight that had been hidden by clouds suddenly spilled behind Geomdam, revealing a passage far narrower than the one they had just traversed.
"You scoundrel! What have you done with the female disciple of our sect?!"
Byeok Chija, the elder of Qingcheng with bandages wrapped around his head, roared at the top of his lungs.
"Who knows. She might have collapsed from exhaustion atop the altar by now."
"You, you villain!!"
"He is clearly a Lust Demon! Strategist, give the order!!"
Everyone waited for Jegal Gil's hand to fall. Though the gap in individual skill was somewhat apparent, they were all certain they could overcome it by combining the strength of their numbers.
Perhaps they could even defeat the Heavenly Demon. The subjugation force was fully convinced of their victory.
"I'm sorry, but let me be clear. None of you pass this point."
Geomdam gripped the twin swords in one hand and beckoned with his fingers.
"The place I stand shall become Changban Slope!!"
* * *
Step, step.
A black-clothed figure, shrouded entirely in darkness, pushed through the forest with swift steps and arrived at Sword Pavilion.
"...Tch."
The area around the tiny Marquis Wu Shrine was already filled with traces of countless passersby.
At the front, two warriors stood rigid with tension, holding swords. Inside the visible shrine, a secret passage leading to the altar lay open.
"...Tch."
The black-clothed figure clicked her tongue and scanned the surroundings. To reach the 'true secret passage' leading to the altar, she needed to evade the eyes of the warriors.
'What should I do.'
The moment the black-clothed figure sank into deliberation.
Screeeech!
A black eagle descended from the sky in a steep dive. Startled, the warriors looked up toward the source of the sound.
"An eagl—"
Thud—crunch! The eagle, its eyes glowing with a crimson light, swooped in with acrobatic precision and drove its beak into a warrior's chest. The steel-hard beak pierced the warrior's heart, and without a chance to resist, he spewed a fountain of blood and died instantly.
"A mon, a monster!"
The warrior on the opposite side swung his sword to attack the eagle, but the bird flew obliquely, leisurely dodging the blade before soaring upward.
Crunch.
Thick talons, seemingly capable of crushing fruit with ease, latched onto the warrior's head. Before the warrior could even cry out in pain, the strength drained from his arms.
Snap.
The eagle seized the warrior's head and snapped his neck in an instant.
No matter how powerful an eagle might be, killing two warriors of the Murim Alliance in the blink of an eye was clearly no ordinary feat. Yet the black-clothed figure stepped forward without a care and stroked the eagle's head.
"Well done. Go and ask the Beast Demon to praise you."
Screech.
The eagle rubbed its head against the black-clothed figure and gently took flight. It was unnervingly docile for a monster that had just killed two men.
"Did the Beast Demon play another prank, or did the Eldest Prince send you?"
Caw.
The eagle extended its leg forward. The black-clothed figure untied the paper bound around its ankle, read the contents, and let out a low murmur.
"...Blaze Command. So that's it—burn everything to the ground."
Whoosh.
Crimson flames flowed from the black-clothed figure's hand. The paper immediately caught fire, crumbled to ash, and scattered into the sky. The black-clothed figure tickled the eagle's beak and pointed eastward.
"Inform the Eldest Prince that the Earth Qilin Thunder Demon follows his command."
Screeeech.
The eagle soared high into the sky once more. The black-clothed figure, the Flame Demon, entered the shrine and examined the 'main gate' the White Path martial artists had pried open.
"......."
After glancing around, the Flame Demon lifted the altar placed in the center, flipped it upside down, and blocked the entrance. She then raised her internal qi and set the altar ablaze.
Whoosh, crackle.
The flames spread through the surroundings in an instant. The Flame Demon swiftly turned, exiting the Marquis Wu Shrine. She then loitered near a detached stone wall and tapped the ground with her hand.
Creak.
The entrance to a small burrow, just large enough for one person to pass through, opened up. The Flame Demon slipped her body into the burrow and employed her inner energy to race through it at high speed.
'I can hear fighting.'
Beyond the altar, the cries of a dragon and phoenix echoed. The Flame Demon gritted her teeth at the distant sounds.
"That damned bastard...!"
The grand scheme the Flame Demon had so carefully planned was not merely smeared with mud—it was mercilessly torn to shreds.
The White Path, which should have been consumed with mutual hatred, envy, and antagonism, had united as one against a single enemy.
'The plan is completely ruined.'
The three factions of Sichuan, each known for their strong individuality and as incompatible as oil and water, had effectively joined hands for the first time. The Flame Demon truly wanted to kill Geomdam.
'Let the Divine Spear kill him.'
Unfortunately, the Flame Demon had no confidence she could defeat Geomdam in a one-on-one fight.
She had never seen him fight directly, but that was precisely because Byeok Bak-ja—a Peak Realm master she had identified as the greatest obstacle in her plan—had been unilaterally crushed by him.
What if he wasn't merely a Harmony Realm master, but a Profound Realm expert like the Divine Spear?
'No. Even so, he can't possibly be at the Profound Realm.'
To begin with, Geomdam's existence remained an enigma.
Even the Hao Sect considered him a monster that had simply popped out of nowhere, so there was practically nothing to trust regarding information about Geomdam beyond the words he himself spoke.
'I must check the altar.'
If he knew about the device installed within the altar, Geomdam was truly a descendant of Emperor Shaolie.
And if Geomdam truly was an expert surpassing Byeok Bak-ja—no, on a similar level to the Divine Spear...
'I must claim it for myself.'
Boom! The Flame Demon dashed through the passage in a single burst. Arriving at the end of the passageway in an instant, she sighed at the sight of the secret passage door, which hung wide open.
"It's real..."
Only the master of the Dragon Emperor Sword could open the door to the secret passage. The Flame Demon raised one hand and pushed against the wall.
Creak.
Inside the barren altar, empty of any presence, lay two rusted swords and a woman in torn martial attire.
The swords were precisely inserted into the grooves marked 'Lee' and 'Neung.' The woman upon the altar lay utterly disheveled, as if dead.
"...Huh."
The Flame Demon's lips twisted at the vivid kiss marks imprinted on the woman's nape.
"Crazy bastard. He stole the swords, then abducted and violated a woman of the Nine Sects and One Gang? Is he really a lust maniac?"
No matter how one looked, the marks of violation were starkly evident. The Flame Demon shook her head and pulled out the two rusted swords.
Rumble.
The secret passage closed. The Flame Demon inspected the condition of the two swords, then tossed them behind her. The moment they hit the floor, the swords crumbled like rotten green onions.
"Damn it. To stick cheap iron swords like this in place of the Twin Old Eagle Swords. He has some brains, doesn't he?"
The altar's secret passage opened by inserting swords into the character grooves.
It wasn't enough to merely insert them—only by infusing the aura of the Heavenly Dragon Emperor Twin High Sword would the secret passage yield.
"So he planned to escape through here later."
The Flame Demon felt a chill at the sounds of battle echoing from the cave entrance beyond the stone chamber housing the altar.
The Twelve Elders, mobilized in full force with the pride of their sects at stake. Each and every one a Peak Expert.
The Lust-Exorcising Abbess, who fought against Lust Demons with her life on the line. When she wielded her Evil-Subduing Righteousness Sword against a Lust Demon, she boasted power rivaling a Harmony Realm master.
And the Tang Clan Patriarch, Crow Chaos Finger Disease, along with Dok-gwi Dang Sa-rim. Both were mighty experts whose skills stood shoulder to shoulder with anyone else.
'And on top of that, the Divine Spear? No. I'd rather abandon Sichuan entirely.'
The Flame Demon shook her head from side to side and approached the altar. The female martial artist of Qingcheng, oblivious to her arrival, still showed no reaction whatsoever.
"...A woman?"
Her body was flat and planar, like the stone chamber of the altar itself. The Flame Demon's lips curled into a smirk.
"Did he give up because she was too wooden and boring to violate?"
If you laid a plank across her, the left-right balance seemed so perfect it would sit absolutely level. The Flame Demon glared down at the Qingcheng martial artist, then suddenly burst into laughter near the crown of her head.
"Pfft!"
Quivering, the Flame Demon couldn't suppress the laughter threatening to spill out.
"Just, just look at that bald spot on her crown. Ah, this girl's going to lose all her hair later—"
"You bitch."
Grab. The female martial artist, who had been lying perfectly still, suddenly raised her torso and seized the Flame Demon by the collar.
"!!"
The Flame Demon saw the blood-red hue of the martial artist's pupils and instantly realized her true identity. Even if a human-skin mask and a change of clothes could hide her appearance, a martial artist's aura was unmistakable.
"Little Princess!"
"You wretched whore, how dare you say I have a bald spot on my crown."
The Flame Demon swallowed hard at the Little Princess's aura, which radiated killing intent thick enough to choke the air.
"L-Little Princess? How is this...?"
"To capture and beat you down."
The Little Princess pulled out black leather gloves from within her clothes. She pulled the glove tips tight with her teeth, spat on the ground, and lightly shook out her hands.
"Pretending to be all shy and demure lately has been killing me, but I'm glad I ran into you. You're the Flame Demon, right? Three years since you took the Flame Demon title, and this is our first meeting since, isn't it? Nice to meet you, whore of the Hao Sect."
"......."
The Flame Demon removed her mask and hood. Hair like black ebony cascaded down, instantly revealing a form like a poison-laced butterfly.
"Little Princess. Do you want to die?"
"As if you could kill me. You only rose to Flame Demon thanks to a good martial art you obtained through the arrangement of my subordinate, the Bandit Demon."
The Little Princess drew her thumb across her throat toward the Flame Demon.
"Shame of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the <Yin-Indulgent Butterfly>, Dang Seo-hee. I was wondering why you weren't showing up at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, and here you are, the Flame Demon? I'm truly delighted to meet you."
"Really... it's been a long time since I've been called by that name."
The Flame Demon, Seo-hee, drew her iron fan from her bosom.
"Without even the Flying Heaven Three Demons, you dare try to fight me alone?"
The Flame Demon's eyes began to blaze crimson.
"First, let's start by burning that insolent crown of yours."
Whoosh!
A butterfly of flame unfurled its wings from the iron fan, spreading across the entirety of the altar.