Imprinted Terror (2)
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art was a far superior energy cultivation technique compared to other absorption-type demonic arts.
It could convert any kind of qi into demonic energy.
Even the demonic energy from crystals could boost one's inner power.
Of course, absorbing the qi from other humans was even more effective.
That was why Cheon Kyung-ho kept slipping across into Chinese territory from time to time.
To hunt elite monsters and absorb the demonic energy from their crystals.
China's lands were a hellhole teeming with monsters, but as long as he avoided the Beyond elite monster zones, there was no better source for crystals.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art stood at the pinnacle of demonic energy manipulation.
No mine—strong or weak—could resist bowing before it.
The return of the Heavenly Demon brings submission from all demons.
That was the nature of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
"Huuuuuuuuh..."
Crackle!
The elite mana crystal in Cheon Kyung-ho's hand lost its glow and crumbled to dust.
As he circulated the Heavenly Demon Divine Art through his entire body, his fear began to ebb slightly.
He needed to stay calm, especially now.
He was strong.
That was an undeniable fact.
He had even subdued a vice chairman who was an early awakener over 200 years old.
Things are becoming clear now.
Assume Kim Taeju shared a soul with the Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak.
The guy had only risen to prominence in less than a year.
And before that, he'd been a mana rejector.
But Cheon Kyung-ho had seven years under his belt.
During that time, he'd steadily cultivated the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and built his power.
I'm stronger.
No matter how talented Kim Taeju was, he couldn't overcome the wall of time.
The bastard hadn't even caught half of Dang Gunak's achievements.
Myriad Heavenly Rain?
Not a chance.
Even the Absolute Poison Demon had only mastered it before dying.
Even if the bastard shows up here in person, it doesn't matter.
Just kill him.
Were his martial arts limited to the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?
He was the Earth's Demonic Cult practitioner and leader.
The Heavenly Demon Cheon Kyung-ho—that was him.
Still, complacency was forbidden.
He needed to boost his power further.
Devour the well-trained true demons and mines too.
And just in case.
Even assume Kim Taeju had broken the handler's seal.
That he'd caught on to the demonic arts, tracked the handler's movements, and come all the way to Barun.
I need to prepare.
Barun was a major city, but its location on the western frontier meant low foot traffic.
Entry points were limited and controlled.
Cheon Kyung-ho sent a telepathic message to Vice Chairman Jamal.
"You called, Chairman?"
"Have the true demons investigate if any strangers have entered Barun City recently."
"Understood."
"As quickly as possible. And check the movements of the imperial palace and the Central Administration."
After Jamal left,
Cheon Kyung-ho pulled out another elite mana crystal he'd gathered from China.
Vmmm!
He began circulating the Heavenly Demon Divine Art once more.
The crystal rapidly lost its light.
Demonic energy filled him to the brim.
"Hoo."
His confidence swelled alongside the surging demonic energy.
They hadn't found any mines in the pioneer city of Napan.
But this morning, at the entrance to Barun, he'd run into one.
A government inspection post worker, no less.
With his face and name known, using the Celestial Realm's tracking talisman would pinpoint the bastard anywhere.
But waste such a precious item on this?
Just tail him quietly when he heads home after work.
And Taeju had no intention of taking him down alone.
He messaged Geum Suhu on his smartphone.
"Haha, this is ridiculous. You stir up trouble wherever you go—like a detective from those old Japanese comics."
What? Conan? Kim Jeon... something?
"So, should I not grab him?"
"Then wait for me. I'll head out right away."
"...Pardon?"
"It might get too noisy and spook them."
If the emperor was coming, what choice did he have?
He'd wait.
Taeju also contacted Jeong Yeonhui.
One of their contract terms was bringing her along for mine hunts.
"Yeonhui?"
She was progressing ridiculously fast.
How long had it been since he sent the videos? Already five forms down?
"Not that. I'm heading out to catch a mine right now."
"But it's a bit far."
Silence flowed quietly.
Then,
"Within today?"
It was far.
The emperor had his private jet, but Jeong Yeonhui was in Paju with no airport.
So,
"Yes. If I run into that mine you showed me before, I'll capture him alive—no killing."
Now he just had to wait.
But the government worker's shift-off time was still a ways away.
It felt wasteful to just sit around in Barun after coming all this way.
The emperor was still en route too.
"Sam-baek."
"Nyaang?"
"You keep an eye on that guy here."
"Nia!"
"Follow if he moves and note where he goes."
"Nyaaaang!"
Tracking the mine was urgent, but preparing items for the Celestial Realm was even more critical.
There was a big mart nearby, perfect.
He'd grab some sneakers, a few burner smartphones.
But sending just burners—what good was that?
He wanted the immortals to use smartphones too.
Wireless mobile without internet—possible?
Build a Celestial Realm network?
Think on that later.
After shopping at the mart, buying cat food for Ilbaek too, as he headed back—
Bzzzzt!
A delivery signal pinged.
It's here.
The moment he always looked forward to.
If it came once a day, how great would that be?
But that was greed.
On Earth, he could send loads anytime.
The Celestial Realm?
Dang Gunak seemed strapped for cash lately—it hurt his heart.
He'd even filmed a video saying no need to send more.
First, check the goods.
Taeju opened the shared storage.
Instantly!
Gasp!
The storage brimmed with celestial coins.
And in the gourd, a bit more coins alongside ten swords.
...Hahaha.
An enormous haul.
The most celestial coins yet, by far.
Plus those swords—clearly no ordinary blades at a glance.
Did things turn around for him?
Yet joy was tempered.
Worry that Dang Gunak had gathered souls to scrape it together.
He hoped there'd been no overexertion.
Even what he'd received so far was a lifetime's debt.
The shared storage emptied completely.
He loaded in the items prepared for Dang Gunak,
and the light faded with a soft whoosh.
The treasure swords can be distributed one by one.
Eight for the disciples, one for Jeong Yeonhui.
Smartphone videos later.
Taeju returned to the inspection post area.
Ilbaek was still holding position.
He killed time at a nearby coffee shop, waiting—
Ding!
A message relayed to Geum Suhu.
That timed well with the worker's shift end.
Not knowing if the target would drive, he rented a tailing truck from a nearby rental agency.
Soon, the emperor's plane touched down at Barun City Airport.
No one knew of the emperor's entry into Barun.
They didn't exit the airport—straight off the runway and out.
Taeju met the emperor.
Geum Suhu the secretary was with him too.
"That the guy?"
"Yes."
"No awakening tattoo... then... a true demon, like I mentioned before."
"Tch. A government official who's a mine."
Shift end approached.
The relief worker arrived at the post.
The mine pulled out from the parking lot in his car.
Taeju's group began tailing.
Vice Chairman Jamal had found the chairman's demeanor suspicious lately.
Like he was being chased by something.
Anxiety plain on his face.
What could unsettle him so?
In Jamal's view, it started right after the handler report.
So what if the handler was caught?
The chairman's seal kept him silent.
And now, investigate entry logs to Barun?
Mentioning the palace and Central Administration.
So what if they came?
He could handle the emperor himself.
The real threat was the Imperial Army.
But even a division was no match.
Even the full army wouldn't threaten the chairman.
Anyway, he ordered the investigation.
Barun was vital to the cult.
Once the chairman completed his training here, it would become a stronghold against the empire.
True demons were embedded everywhere: city hall, police, airport, checkpoints.
They'd all return to the farm by evening.
He hadn't told them the chairman was back yet.
We'll talk when they're all here.
For now, he ordered the true demons:
Compile entry logs to Barun and any suspicious vibes.
Shift end came.
Jamal gathered the intel and entered the grain silo where the chairman waited.
"Chairman!"
"Come in, Jamal."
Back to his usual composure.
No trace of that anxious look.
The perfect chairman again.
"The true demons report no incidents. Nothing special."
"I see?"
"Just in case, I compiled recent Barun entry logs."
"Good work. Let me see."
"Here..."
Vice Chairman Jamal crawled on his knees and offered the paper list.
"Hmm."
Cheon Kyung-ho scanned it slowly.
Pointless, really.
Earlier fear of the Absolute Poison Demon had clouded his judgment. Checking entry logs wouldn't reveal much.
Palace or Central Admin would hide identities anyway.
But right then!
Twitch!
Cheon Kyung-ho's eyebrow flicked up.
Misread?
He checked again,
...Kim Gun-ak?
Gun-ak? Gun-ak?
What the—?
The imprinted terror of the Absolute Poison Demon flared anew.
The horrific dread of Myriad Heavenly Rain.
That was when—
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the millet farm.
Celestial Realm.
The first to arrive was Immortal Sambong.
Human-faced spider for a wristwatch.
So he needed a poison demon on par.
He scoured the yokai demon realm.
And dragged back a ten-thousand-year-old centipede demon.
A true ten-millennia poison beast.
Easy? No way.
Immortal Sambong hauled the beast to the multiplex front yard and
"P-Poison Immortal,
desperately called for Dang Gunak.
"What's wro—... ah! A ten-thousand-year centipede."
Honestly, Dang Gunak was shocked deep down.
What kind of place was the yokai demon realm?
Human-faced spider was wild enough—now this?
The yokai demon realm was a sort of exile zone.
Separating transcendent demons from the human realm.
But they often escaped.
Somehow, many slipped into the human realm.
Letting immortals hunt escapees on outings.
"Good work, Immortal Sambong."
"Huuuuh..."
Collapsed on the ground, trembling hand reaching for Poison Immortal Dang Gunak.
That rough?
Pitying him, Dang Gunak gently took his hand.
Swish,
but Sambong slyly pulled away, shaking his head.
Not it?
Then... ah!
Dang Gunak pulled a wristwatch from his infinite space.
"This?"
"G-Give it."
"..."
What could he do?
The guy earned it.
Click!
He fastened the metal buckle on Sambong's wrist,
and
Snap!
"Hahaha! This Sambong's finally a watch owner too!"
What?
Dying moments ago...
Thrashing for fear I wouldn't give it.
The ten-thousand-year centipede was a legendary yokai.
Tough catch.
But from a general sect founder's immortal view?
Easy for an ascended immortal like Sambong. Finding was harder.
But he brought it—forgiven.
Next to the yard: Plum Blossom Immortal,
dragging a massive serpent demon, the Poison-Horned Calamity Python's tail.
"Hah, hah, P-Poison, Immortal, ugh! Haaah!"
"..."
Grateful for the python,
"No dramatics. Sambong already used it."
"Huh?"
"Wristwatch. Here."
"Oh!"
Last: Kunlun Immortal.
Unlike the others, covered in stab wounds.
An immortal wounded?
What did he hunt?
Nothing visible.
Empty-handed?
"H-Here."
Kunlun offered a leaf-wrapped, vine-tied bundle.
"This?"
"Immortal crane scalp. Wouldn't kill it—just peel the head. Such resistance."
"...Immortal crane?"
Immortal cranes were spirit beasts.
Famous as mounts for immortals, especially Supreme Elder Lord.
Scalp from one?
The red crest on a crane's head is crane-top red—a deadly poison even in the human realm.
Dang Gunak favored it.
But this was from an immortal crane.
Trouble? Eh, whatever.
"G-Good work."
"...Watch?"
"Of course."
"Heh heh heh."
Poison materials secured.
Rarities unavailable on Earth.
Dang Gunak felt great.
This boosted Taeju's odds of reaching Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong 10th stage,
no—practically guaranteed.
Time to process them?
Couldn't send whole.
Extract the poison glands only.
Plus other items for Taeju.
The Heavenly Demon and his soul-linked human on Earth.
The Infinite Hell's Heavenly Demon spilled the identity, begging for the kill.
Name, age, hometown, school, family...
Enough for Unit Leader Immortal's tracking talisman to find him easy.
But Heavenly Demon.
Same soul or not.
He'd hesitated sending at first.
Kekeke, Cheon Kyung-ho can't beat your soul-parallel human.
...Why?
He'll tremble in fear. Think—how'd I die?
Ah!
Shaking on sight?
Meaning?
Are you scared of me too?
...
You are!
Dang Gunak grinned.
Revenge to the last, thrilling.