Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Descent into the Abyss
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Falling.
Into an endless abyss.
"Urgh?!"
I whipped around immediately. I grabbed hold of Yeon-gwang's screaming body.
I had to slow our descent. But I couldn't use internal energy.
With just a pure human body, how could I...
"...!"
The air changed.
I felt the qi at my fingertips come alive, heating up and breathing.
As soon as the location itself shifted, I could circulate internal energy from my fingers.
Had I completely escaped the influence of the Sealing Demon Cave?
No time for further thought.
"Relax your body!"
"Y-Yes?!"
I gathered strength in my legs. Circulating internal energy, I glared ahead.
A bit far, but close enough to reach. I sheathed my sword and drew Yeon-gwang's.
"H-Hyungnim?!"
It consumed a monstrous amount of internal energy, but this variant form of Ghost Spirit Step let me kick off the air for an instant.
Ghost Spirit Step (鬼靈步) - Wall
--Paang!
My body kicking off the air drew closer to the cliff. I immediately thrust my sword into the wall.
--Kagagagagagak!!!!
The strain on my body pushed me endlessly onward. The sword embedded in the wall rattled as if it might shatter any moment.
The weight of two people, not one.
Yeon-gwang freaked out.
"Wh-What... How is this possible...?!"
I poured more internal energy into it. Focusing not on sharpening but simply reinforcing the blade itself, I glanced downward.
Those relatively close to the wall were all in the same state as us. Covered in blood, they struggled to cling to the cliff somehow.
But those who hadn't thought ahead tumbled endlessly downward.
"Kyaaaaaaaak!!!"
A scream from above rapidly closed in.
I knew whose voice it was, so I thrust out my hand urgently.
"Yeon-gwang! Hold onto me tight!"
"Y-Yes!"
With my free hand, I snatched the falling person.
The shock yanked the sword free, and we began plummeting again.
"Huuuup!!"
I infused qi into my body and spun in midair. Embracing the fallen woman, I kicked off the air once more.
The sword thrust into the wall again scraped harshly against the cliff. After sliding much farther than the others, my body finally halted.
"Th-Thank... you..."
"Can you support yourself with your sword?!"
"I-I'll try...!"
The spirited woman, Seo Cho-hee, drew her sword. She infused it with internal energy and jammed it into the wall.
It wobbled, but her body held firm. I gave Yeon-gwang the same order.
Yeon-gwang barely climbed up and gripped his sword. I steadied my breathing, then hurled my body downward.
"B-Bi Warrior?!"
"Hyungnim!"
We couldn't hang here forever. Better to scout below.
Using sword and internal energy to control my speed, I didn't just fall-I dashed steeply along the cliff face.
"Wh-What movement is that...?!"
Dodging crumbling rocks that fell away.
"Kicking off the air...? What in the...?!"
Snatching weapons scattered in the air.
"My god... what the hell is...?!"
--I saved the flailing people.
My internal energy drained at a monstrous rate from the reckless maneuvers. But the ground was visible ahead, so it didn't matter.
The demon cliff that seemed to drop forever.
My feet hit solid ground moments later.
--Kuuuung!
Pain shot through my legs like buzzing electricity. But since the speed wasn't too great, my body held up.
I scanned the surroundings immediately. I'd thought I'd descended fast, but one person had beaten me down.
"...You."
Eun Seol-ran.
She'd arrived early and was scouting around. Her eyes widened slightly at me.
"...Couldn't even save yourself, yet you helped others on the way down? Like me?"
"......"
"That's beyond what a mere Returning Demon Squad member could do... Don't tell me you're... "
--Kuuuung!!
Dust exploded between her and me.
Jin Wi-ryang, who'd arrived intact, panted heavily.
"What the... what just happened...?!"
I raised the night pearl we'd fallen with.
The Blood Snake Chick I'd failed to grab during the fall now perched on my shoulder, chirping and rubbing against me.
"...What are you doing?"
Ignoring Jin Wi-ryang's words, I spread the scattered night pearls wide. Securing minimal visibility, I infused my voice with internal energy.
I shouted.
"Those at the bottom, come down! We'll catch you!"
My resounding voice echoed across the crumbled terrain.
Eun Seol-ran stood beside me.
"What's your plan?"
"Save them first. I'm a Returning Demon Squad member, after all."
"...Hmm."
Eun Seol-ran eyed me up and down.
I turned my head sharply.
"Talk later."
"If there's time. Will you help?"
"No reason not to, with Black Snake Clan survivors up top too."
People began falling.
Eun Seol-ran and I extended our hands.
"Brace your core. The impact will be stronger than you think."
...
We caught the falling people one by one. The survivors gasped thanks.
"Th-Thank you for catching me."
"Get yourself together."
Actual deaths were few. Just two who'd misjudged the initial chaos and plummeted.
The rest proved their status as elite later-generation disciples and escort warriors, surviving through their own methods.
After confirming the last arrivals, I tallied everyone.
46 people had been sucked in.
Survivors...
Seven later-generation disciples. 15 escort warriors.
Just two Returning Demon Squad members.
Total 24.
Nearly half slaughtered. A few we couldn't catch had been crushed.
"......"
The largest survivor group was Myriad Demons Sect. Excluding Seo Cho-hee, Yeon-gwang, and Eun Seol-ran, all the later-generation disciples were theirs.
Escort warriors too. Aside from Jin Wi-ryang's faction, only five remained.
Jin Wi-ryang smirked, realizing it. He brushed past me and ostentatiously offered his hand to Eun Seol-ran.
"Looks like we should shelve old grudges for now, Lady Eun. Shall we proceed together? Who knows what's here?"
Eun Seol-ran spat on the ground.
"Quit clinging, it's nauseating. Before I split your skull. The only reason I haven't drawn my sword is this: now's not the time for blood."
"Think ahead."
"I can think ahead fine without you..."
--Teok.
A sound came.
From that darkness.
Heads turned. I peered ahead too.
Something in the dark. An unidentified figure approaching beyond the night pearls' glow.
A chilling noise charged toward us. Jin Wi-ryang gasped at the silhouette entering the light.
"What the hell is that?!"
A mangled body, yet untouched by us.
Head twisted backward opposite the dried blood, it leaped at us like a beast.
Jin Wi-ryang thrust his sword. He cleaved it in one stroke.
The severed torso thrashed madly, still crawling toward him.
"Wh-What...?!"
Only after stomping the head did it stop. But as if that weren't the end, more indistinct things-human or not-began appearing one by one.
Felt like souls trapped in corpses. I drew my sword.
All coming from one direction.
I slashed at the flying corpse.
--Kwaduk!
The sword piercing its neck felt off. Even infused with qi, there was resistance-not like a normal human body.
Tough skin. Even tougher bones.
Only with extra force did I sever the neck completely. The sharp nails flailing in the air grazed my nose before stopping.
Heavenly Tribulation stirred within me.
That meant one thing.
"Their nails are poisoned!"
That wasn't all. For an instant, my internal energy wavered.
As if not qi, but some strange energy shook my body itself...?
"Back! Now!"
Eun Seol-ran drew her sword. Demonic energy surged like a wave, shaking from behind her.
A massive form seemed to settle on her back. I thought I'd misseen and turned, but it was clearly a bear-pelted figure.
Manifested Intent Astral Qi.
The realm of shaping internal energy, manifesting the intangible through will.
Eun Seol-ran had already reached Transformation Realm...?
But imperfect, as she panted. She flipped her raised sword sideways, then slashed horizontally ahead.
Her sword, taught by the Heavenly Demon.
Claw marks unbelievable from human hands swept the front.
--Kwadudududuk!!!!
The swept corpses shattered at once. One stroke felled dozens.
Enemy lines shattered. Mangled limbs flew, clearing our view.
The gap created. Eun Seol-ran dropped to one knee.
"Everyone, run!"
The momentary path opened.
Jin Wi-ryang bolted first.
"Out of my way!!"
He shoved aside blockers and vanished into the dark. Myriad Demons Sect warriors followed suit.
"H-Hyungnim...!"
"Go!"
I moved to follow. But just as I leaped, Eun Seol-ran vomited blood.
"Something... mixed in what I cut... What the hell...?!"
Internal energy backlash.
I grabbed her waist immediately. Hoisting the unsteady woman piggyback, I chased the runners from the rear.
Mud-splashing sounds came from behind. The sticky floor grabbed at my feet.
--Tak.
Something actually lunged before me.
A ruined corpse's hand.
I kicked it away the instant it grabbed. But dozens of arms suddenly blocked the path ahead.
"What now...?!"
"L-Let go! What are you doing?!"
"Stay still! Senior!"
"Senior?! You really are...!"
I veered direction sharply. Forcing apart those with night pearls, I stepped toward the open side.
I saw distant Yeon-gwang and Seo Cho-hee open their mouths. But I shook my head.
I shouted with all my might.
"Keep running!"
The moving corpses charged us. Unwittingly the bait, I kept my feet pounding.
How far did we flee?
Something appeared in my already narrow field of view. Not a simple wall-it was metal-clad.
An unknown structure in the unknown underground.
Chilling sounds pursued from behind. No telling how many, so I had to hide.
I found a door leading in immediately. I turned the knob and leaped inside.
I shut the door.
Metal-scraping noises echoed behind.
I barricaded it with nearby tools. The metal door's durability was high; the scraping corpses soon moved elsewhere.
Finally quiet. My body, leaning against the wall, slid down.
But Eun Seol-ran, still on my back, reached toward me as if this were just beginning.
"...Hey."
My face was grabbed.
The human-skin mask was forcibly ripped off.
Eun Seol-ran growled.
"Mind explaining why you're here? Junior Red Cloud?"
"......"
I awkwardly averted my gaze.