Chapter 687
"You must be the one to handle this negotiation with the Blood Cult."
As soon as the meeting concluded, Bu Eun-seol discreetly summoned Seo Jin-ha to a private chamber.
And then, he made a startling declaration.
He was entrusting Seo Jin-ha with the task of meeting the Blood Cult leader and settling the negotiation.
"That's a fine idea. Understood. I'll go."
Seo Jin-ha nodded without hesitation.
Even for someone like Bu Eun-seol.
Walking into the Blood Cult's den unprepared, persuading their leader to swear off any ambitions of invading the Central Plains—
That was practically an impossible mission.
Moreover, setting foot in the Blood Cult's headquarters meant there was no guarantee of survival.
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, it was far more strategically sound to leave the Blood Cult mission to him while—
Seo Jin-ha assisted the Death Shadow War Unit's subordinates in safely completing the subjugation of the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds.
"Don't worry. I'll do my utmost to persuade them. If it doesn't work out, I'll just make a quick escape."
Seo Jin-ha deliberately flashed a bright smile.
"Even if the Blood Cult leader's gets exceptionally bold, he wouldn't dare behead the Heir of the Demon Hall."
Entering the depths of the Blood Cult and returning unscathed—
Even for Bu Eun-seol, that was no easy feat.
But Seo Jin-ha, fearing Bu Eun-seol might waver, thumped his chest and spoke with confidence.
"If he had that kind of courage, he would've stormed into the Central Plains long ago to challenge the Demonic Heavenly Emperor. Don't you think?"
He laughed and spread his arms wide.
"So don't worry. Leave it to me."
Sacrificing himself to save the lives of hundreds in the Death Shadow War Unit was the rational choice.
Even if that place was hell, he could walk in with a smile.
"I understand what you're thinking, but that won't be necessary."
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"I have no intention of sending you to your death just to save the lives of the Death Shadow War Unit."
"Huh?"
"The negotiation might fail. But you will never be in danger."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was resolute.
"I've made sure of that."
"How?"
"I've already arranged it."
Seo Jin-ha was curious but didn't press further.
There had never been a promise Bu Eun-seol made that went unfulfilled.
"Alright. Understood."
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had disregarded even his status as the Heir of the Demon Hall—his own life be damned—to pull Seo Jin-ha out of danger when he was trapped.
And from the moment Seo Jin-ha resolved to become Bu Eun-seol's shadow... he had sworn an oath to die in his stead should danger ever come.
Not once had he forgotten that resolution or that vow.
Even if the Blood Cult leader attacked him, even if it cost him his life—
He could walk into the Blood Cult's den with a smile.
"Then I'll take my leave."
As Seo Jin-ha turned to exit the chamber, Bu Eun-seol spoke again.
"Don't worry. Trust me."
His voice carried a reassuring power.
Seo Jin-ha grinned and nodded.
"I'm not worried."
And with that, he immediately disguised himself as Bu Eun-seol and departed for the Blood Cult.
'So even you can be wrong sometimes.'
As his reminiscence ended, Seo Jin-ha's consciousness slowly sank into darkness.
The Blood Cult leader, though remaining unseen, was subjecting him to agony akin to death itself.
If they were attacking him with this level of determination, it was clear they had resolved to capture Bu Eun-seol.
Escaping the Blood Cult unharmed was now impossible.
'If this is how it's going to be, I'll drag you all down to hell with me.'
He couldn't just sit here and die.
Seo Jin-ha began circulating the incantation of the Emotion Severing Secret Art, preparing to take them all as his companions to hell.
Crackle—
Thick veins bulged across his entire body as—
The blood-red haze obscuring his vision gradually began to recede.
At the same time, a dark miasma began rising from his entire being.
The searing pain that had threatened to scorch his mind vanished, replaced by an indescribable exhilaration spreading through his body.
'Well, what use is a warrior who clings to emotion?'
The ultimate principle of the Emotion Severing Secret Art was Preserve the Body by Abandoning the Mind.
That is, to safeguard the body by discarding the heart.
By casting aside all emotions—those very things that dulled and weakened a warrior's body and senses—
An impenetrable barrier of spirit and mind.
And the secret to freely manipulating the flow of True Qi could be unleashed.
Flash—!
When Seo Jin-ha opened his eyes again, they surged with dark energy.
As the Emotion Severing Secret Art seized control of his spirit and mind—
All thoughts within Seo Jin-ha's heart vanished, replaced by utter stillness.
'There you are.'
In an instant, he pinpointed Pae Reuk-gyeol's location within the Great Hall.
Everything he was seeing now was an illusion—Pae Reuk-gyeol was seated on the Imperial Mentor's throne atop the platform, gazing down at him.
And to his left and right stood two men radiating eerie light, likely casting the Mind-Seizing Art upon him.
Swoosh—!
The dark True Qi erupting from Seo Jin-ha's body transformed into vicious whips, carving a massive arc.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Slice—
Crimson blood lines appeared on the two men's necks before—
Their heads toppled from their shoulders in an instant.
The blood-drenched scenery vanished entirely, revealing the Great Hall's pristine interior.
The floor was paved with Coldwater Stone, Night Shining Pearls adorned the ceiling, and colossal pillars—30 feet thick—bore hanging lanterns that illuminated the space brightly.
Here and there stood bronze statues with the heads of sheep and human torsos—a typical sight from a heretical sect.
"Welcome."
Seo Jin-ha's burning black pupils remained fixed on the face of Pae Reuk-gyeol, seated upon the imperial mentor's throne.
He was clad in crimson robes adorned with extravagant ornaments, his complexion unnaturally dark. Yet, his eyes flickered with a mysterious radiance, betraying not only mastery of esoteric ritual arts but also profound internal energy.
"Rumors of the martial world truly are unreliable," Pae Reuk-gyeol remarked, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed down at Seo Jin-ha with a smile.
"They called you the Righteous Man within the Demonic Path. But now that I see you, you're no different from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—a true demonic practitioner through and through."
Even as his subordinates lay decapitated, their heads separated from their bodies, his voice and expression remained leisurely.
"To enter the main cult alone—you must have some confidence."
As Pae Reuk-gyeol tilted his head, the large ornament dangling from his ear jingled noisily.
"Yet, for the life of me, I can't fathom what it is."
Had it been the usual Seo Jin-ha, he might have tried to mimic Bu Eun-seol and continued negotiations.
But from the moment he invoked the Emotion Severing Secret Art, an uncontrollable killing intent had surged within him.
"Speaking like a fish caught in a net, are we?"
Seo Jin-ha stared at Pae Reuk-gyeol with emotionless eyes.
"Do you really think the world is that simple?"
He shook his head slightly before speaking coldly.
"Fake cult leader."
Pae Reuk-gyeol's eyes flashed.
"And why do you think I'm a fake?"
"If the Blood Cult's leader, who's been eyeing the Central Plains martial world, had such shabby methods, your cult would've been crushed long ago."
A dark gleam flickered in Seo Jin-ha's pupils.
"Bringing subordinates to set up sorcery, trapping me in this grand hall—all just to kill one lord? If you were truly that sloppy, that is."
"Heh heh heh."
At his scathing words, the fake Pae Reuk-gyeol chuckled.
"Hahaha."
His coarse, eerie voice gradually shifted into something clearer, almost as if blending both masculine and feminine tones.
Swish.
With a single spin, his appearance transformed in an instant—into the elegant visage of a middle-aged beauty.
She was none other than Hong Seon, the Flower-Faced Sorceress, one of the Blood Cult's Ten Elders.
"Even if you're one of the Ten Elders, you wouldn't dare impersonate the cult leader so brazenly."
Seo Jin-ha spoke with an indifferent expression.
"Promoted to Left or Right Envoy, perhaps? Or maybe the cult leader's favorite concubine?"
"Watch your mouth!"
Hong Seon's eyes flared as he struck a nerve. Seo Jin-ha sneered.
"I clearly requested an audience with the cult leader. Why is some elder stepping forward instead?"
"Some elder?"
Hong Seon's eyes narrowed sharply as she replied icily.
"The mere fact that a brat like you waltzed in alone and demanded to see the cult leader is an insult to our sect."
So that was why they had let him in so easily.
She saw his audacity—arriving alone and demanding the cult leader—as nothing short of mockery.
That was why she had impersonated the leader, intending to kill him.
"Excessive loyalty, I see."
Seo Jin-ha let out a derisive laugh. Hong Seon's voice turned sinister.
"Let's see if your skills match that sharp tongue of yours."
Even if Bu Eun-seol himself had come—
Once the Blood Cult barred the gates and resolved to kill him, escape would be impossible.
"Try me."
Yet Seo Jin-ha strode toward her without hesitation.
With each step, a thick black haze rose from his body.
Having invoked the Emotion Severing Secret Art, his heart held no fear, no hesitation—only an unrelenting desire to cut down his enemies, again and again.
"Your confidence is impressive, I'll give you that."
Hong Seon smirked and raised her right hand.
Rumble.
In response, countless cultists clad in crimson robes emerged in the Grand Hall, surrounding Bu Eun-seol.
At the very least, five hundred of them.
And from the strange energy they emitted, it seemed they intended to deploy esoteric ritual arts rather than martial techniques.
Hummm.
The haze around Seo Jin-ha thickened, soon billowing into a black fog.
His spirit and mind had fully embraced the Demonic Path.
Crackle.
Simultaneously, streams of black true qi flowed around him, shielding his vital points.
Shing.
When he drew the Ice Soul Sword given by Bu Eun-seol, a black blade manifested alongside it.
The Emotion Severing Secret Art was a Mind-Formula Demonic Art—one that reflected the practitioner's spirit and mind.
In accordance with Seo Jin-ha's resolve to face death and slaughter all enemies—
It forged armor to protect his body and a weapon of amplified might.
"If you won't come, I will."
Flash!
A black radiance erupted, and a storm of blood burst from the bodies of the warriors encircling the grand hall.
"Gah—!"
Screams echoed in all directions.
With every movement, limbs flew, and fountains of blood sprayed across the chamber.
But the Blood Cult followers were no ordinary opponents either.
They molded their fallen comrades' blood into arrows and rained them down upon him.
They unleashed esoteric arts to slow Seo Jin-ha's movements or churn his internal organs, inflicting direct internal injuries.
Yet Seo Jin-ha paid no heed, ceaselessly swinging the Ice Soul Sword.
At first, he used the Formless Heavenly Flow that Bu Eun-seol had taught him to cut down his enemies.
But as the battle raged on, his movements became less those of Langya Pavilion's Sword Studies and more an instinctive dance of slaughter.
How can I cut them down in a single stroke? How can I most efficiently sever their lifelines?
The Emotion Severing Secret Art answered his desires.
It guided his spirit and mind into an endlessly tranquil realm, making the Blood Cult followers' movements appear infinitely slow.
It allowed him to strike back at the optimal moment, in the most perfect form.
Schlick! Thud.
Before he knew it, the Blood Cult's first defensive line, stationed inside the Grand Hall, had completely collapsed.
Their numbers—over a hundred.
Yet Hong Seon merely nodded as if it were nothing.
"Let's see how long you last."
The true terror of the Blood Cult lay neither in their unique esoteric arts nor their martial prowess.
It was their brainwashed followers, who threw away their lives without hesitation, indoctrinated by the cult's grotesque doctrine.
Rumors said that the Nether Demon Blood Gate, once the Blood Cult's bitter enemy, had been annihilated precisely because they couldn't withstand the relentless suicidal assaults of these fanatics.
"Hahaha."
But Seo Jin-ha only laughed.
The sticky blood was sweet, the enemies' screams melodious. He wished this slaughter could continue forever.
Unbeknownst to him, his spirit and mind had already been completely consumed by the Emotion Severing Secret Art.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Then, suddenly, a strange vibration echoed from outside.
Creeeak.
At the same time, the massive doors of the Grand Hall swung open, and hundreds more followers clad in crimson robes poured forth.
Clatter.
The followers solemnly formed two rows, clearing a wide path.
And then—a man with dark skin adorned in lavish ornaments appeared.
The real Pae Reuk-gyeol had arrived.
The moment he revealed himself, an eerie demonic cry seemed to resonate from nowhere, and a sinister energy began saturating the Grand Hall.
Merely by showing himself—
He had completely altered the very air and atmosphere of this vast hall.
Pae Reuk-gyeol, leader of the Blood Cult.
The master of a massive sect commanding a hundred thousand followers, a demonic overlord eyeing the Central Plains with greed.
His bearing and martial prowess surpassed all imagination.
"Great Leader."
Hong Seon hastily dropped to her knees and bowed the moment Pae Reuk-gyeol appeared.
"Please wait just a little longer. I will soon capture that brat and bring him before you."
[Bring him to the Blood Oath Hall.]
"...What?"
Hong Seon stiffened, lowering her head in confusion.
"That man is one of the Demon Hall's leaders. We must capture him—"
[Since when.]
Pae Reuk-gyeol's voice carried unimaginable authority and power.
[Have you been permitted to question my orders?]
Hong Seon immediately pressed her forehead to the ground.
"I will send him at once."
Pae Reuk-gyeol observed Seo Jin-ha, who was radiating black true qi, then turned away.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Seo Jin-ha's low voice rang out.
"The main event is just beginning."
His killing intent had surged to such heights—
That even if he were facing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor instead of Pae Reuk-gyeol, he wouldn't have felt the slightest fear.
Step. Step.
But then, from the doorway behind Pae Reuk-gyeol, another shadow slowly advanced toward Seo Jin-ha.
"Hmph. Sending a lackey first, are you?"
Seo Jin-ha immediately unleashed the Willful True Binding.
Schlick!
Yet his black blade passed harmlessly through the shadow, slicing only empty air.
"Not bad."
As Seo Jin-ha prepared to strike again—
Step. Step.
Under the Grand Hall's flickering light, the shadow's face gradually came into view.
A man with disheveled short hair and eyes both sharp and sorrowful.
It was Myo Cheon-u.
"How did you get here—?"
Seo Jin-ha's brow furrowed.
Meanwhile, Pae Reuk-gyeol turned and left the hall with his followers in tow.
"Ah, of course. You were born that way."
Seo Jin-ha's lips curled into a cold smile.
Before becoming one of the Ten Demonic Heirs, Myo Cheon-u had been recruited by the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
Even after rising to become a battalion commander of the Death Shadow War Unit, he had continued acting as their spy.
Of course, Myo Cheon-u had carried guilt all along, and in the end, he challenged Wi Ji-hye-sang while confessing everything to Bu Eun-seol.
But in Seo Jin-ha's eyes, he was nothing more than a bat switching sides until his inevitable downfall.
"Now that you've recovered your martial arts, you've started harboring other intentions, huh?"
Bu Eun-seol had risked his life to save Myo Cheon-u, rushing to the Fire Rain Sword Sect while Myo Cheon-u fought Wi Ji-hye-sang.
But by then, Myo Cheon-u's dantian had already been severely damaged by Wi Ji-hye-sang.
In the end, Bu Eun-seol sent him to the Cloud Sea Azure Spirit Palace to restore his dantian.
The Death Shadow War Unit commanders knew he had been a spy—but they never spoke of it.
"Bu Eun-seol would handle everything properly."
Yet that very Myo Cheon-u had abruptly appeared alongside Pae Reuk-gyeol, emerging from the Blood Cult.
Which could only mean he had been absorbed into their ranks.
"Tch. You never tire of playing the double agent, do you?"
At Seo Jin-ha's words, Myo Cheon-u shook his head bitterly.
"Do I seem that way to you?"
"Once a human starts down a filthy path, they can never break free of it."
Black flames flickered in Seo Jin-ha's eyes.
Under normal circumstances, he would have recognized the clarity and sanity in Myo Cheon-u's actions and gaze.
But Seo Jin-ha's spirit and mind had already crossed into the Demonic Path under the influence of the Emotion Severing Secret Art, his consciousness devoured by killing intent.
Seeing Myo Cheon-u appear alongside Pae Reuk-gyeol, he could only perceive him as having pledged himself to the Blood Cult.
"Snap out of it."
Myo Cheon-u spoke firmly.
"You came here to negotiate with the Blood Cult's leader, not to fight me."
"Shut up!"
Swish!
Seo Jin-ha unleashed the Willful True Binding coiled around his sword, instantly ensnaring Myo Cheon-u's body.
Crack!
Myo Cheon-u evaded with swift footwork, narrowly avoiding the attack.
But the terrifying aspect of the Willful True Binding wasn't just its ability to materialize true qi freely—it also allowed the wielder to adapt their combat techniques accordingly.
Swish!
Seo Jin-ha altered the form of his true qi in sync with Myo Cheon-u's movements.
Though Myo Cheon-u continuously dodged, the razor-sharp black blades of qi waited unerringly at every evasion point.
"Tch."
"You were a rat even back in Hell Island!"
At Seo Jin-ha's furious shout, Myo Cheon-u's eyes darkened.
It was true.
During his time on Hell Island, Myo Cheon-u had been part of the group that attacked Bu Eun-seol under Do Cheon-rin's leadership.
The only reason they hadn't resented each other after becoming Ten Demonic Heirs was the sheer relief of surviving the Death Slaughter Tournament.
But Seo Jin-ha, consumed by the Emotion Severing Secret Art, dredged up even those long-buried emotions, shaking Myo Cheon-u's emotions.
"True. Compared to you all, I was lacking. That's why I joined them."
Myo Cheon-u spoke calmly as he dodged.
"But I'm not so shameless as to betray a friend twice."
"People don't change!"
Shing!
Seo Jin-ha drew the Ice Soul Sword.
And with it, he began executing the Formless Heavenly Flow stance he had learned from Bu Eun-seol.
Flash!
A massive cross-shaped sword aura enveloped Myo Cheon-u's body, while the black, razor-sharp true qi pierced into his vital points.
Combining the Formless Heavenly Flow with the Willful True Binding made the technique even more profound—and several times more lethal.
'I can't afford to drag this out.'
Myo Cheon-u scanned his surroundings.
Fortunately, Pae Reuk-gyeol had already withdrawn with his followers, but if this fierce battle continued?
Seo Jin-ha's true identity might eventually come under suspicion.
Swish!
In that moment, the sharp blades of qi grazed Myo Cheon-u's chest and shoulder.
Only two options remained:
Subdue Seo Jin-ha using the True Void—or leave the Blood Cult for good.
Hummm.
As if resolved, a silver radiance surged from Myo Cheon-u's palm.
He was about to unleash the Silver Flame Palm, a technique of his own creation.
Whoosh!
As palm energy erupted, silver flames consumed the encroaching blades of the Willful True Binding, incinerating them in an instant.
"Hmph."
Instead of faltering, Seo Jin-ha's competitive spirit flared—he relentlessly forged and unleashed more blades of qi.
Soon, a web of black sword blades poured forth, unending, toward Myo Cheon-u.
With each passing moment, Seo Jin-ha grew more adept at wielding the Willful True Binding—its power intensifying.
A phenomenon born from his spirit and mind fully merging with the Demonic Path.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Myo Cheon-u annihilated the onslaught with his Silver Flame Palm, closing the distance between them.
And when their faces were finally close enough to meet—
Flash!
Seo Jin-ha unleashed the Meteor Chasing Moon stance, aiming straight for Myo Cheon-u's throat.
Thud.
But Myo Cheon-u didn't dodge.
Twisting his body, he took the blow on his shoulder—and in the same motion, thrust his palm toward Seo Jin-ha's face.
"Ghk—!"
Seo Jin-ha froze.
He hadn't expected Myo Cheon-u to sacrifice his own shoulder for such a suicidal counter.
Just as the silver palm energy was about to crush Seo Jin-ha's face—
Thump.
A thick hand settled on his shoulder.
"Wake up, Seo Jin-ha."
Myo Cheon-u had deliberately taken a sword strike to his shoulder—just to have this moment.
"If you don't regain your senses, Bu Eun-seol—that fool—will be in danger."
"Bu Eun-seol."
For an instant, the black flames in Seo Jin-ha's pupils wavered.
Bu Eun-seol.
To the Death Shadow War Unit's commanders, that name was like magic.
And the same was true for Seo Jin-ha.
'Pathetic bastard.'
Always hiding childlike fragility beneath that icy demeanor—
He had entered the martial world for revenge, only to be swept away by its storms.
Yet he still risked his life to protect his subordinates.
If Seo Jin-ha didn't regain his senses here?
That fool would only suffer and blame himself again.
Creak. Crack.
Dozens of sharp blades materialized around Seo Jin-ha's body.
Had Myo Cheon-u's desperate plea failed after all?
Thud!
The blades embedded themselves—without hesitation—into flesh.
Seo Jin-ha's own flesh.