Chapter 30. Heart Demon
“How dare this bastard kill our Three Gods Path disciple!”
The black-robed elder bellowed in fury, gesturing sharply. The skull struck by the Flame Bead floated to his side and morphed into a long bone sword. Its blade was grotesquely studded with tiny skulls clinging to the surface.
The elder spat a mouthful of vital blood onto the bone sword and swung it, unleashing a wave of ashen sword qi. Yuseong parried the incoming qi with the gray longsword he'd claimed from the youth he'd slain, then closed in on the middle-aged woman and hurled the blade at her in a self-detonation.
Screeech!Boom!
A thunderous explosion rang out. As the woman rocketed backward in a spray of blood, Yuseong pursued and smashed her skull with a punch.
Crunch!
He snared the fleeing nascent soul with the Soul Binding Net. Screeech! More ashen sword qi hurtled from behind, which he blocked with the White Tiger Armor and Iron Skin Art. Though the armor failed to cover every spot, leaving them bloodied, his Iron Skin Art at the eighth star ensured only surface wounds.
“You bastard!”
The white-haired elder's eyes blazed with murderous intent as he charged with his bone sword. Sensing the man's full power, Yuseong poured mana into the Flame Bead. The elder swung, and thousands of skull phantoms swirled around the bone sword as it flew.
A dragon's roar erupted from the Flame Bead, birthing a massive fire dragon that scorched the earth. Yuseong channeled his remaining mana to direct the dragon at the elder. The five- zhang-long beast turned the surroundings into a sea of flames as it barreled toward him.
The skulls' toxic yin qi crumbled under the dragon's heat, shattering even the bone sword.
“Urk!”
The fire dragon engulfed the elder, reducing him to dust in an instant—not even bones remained. Draining every last drop of mana to finish him off left Yuseong yearning for rest.
A quick scan revealed few fighters below the walls, none paying him mind. He burrowed into a pile of corpses nearby.
Crawling through the long stretch of bodies beneath the wall, he pulled out spirit stones and absorbed their energy. His dantian stung from overexertion, but the influx eased the pain somewhat.
Endless booms and shouts echoed from the skies, corpses plummeting like rain. Behind him, a massive turtle spirit beast fired indigo beams at the walls. Thousands still clashed in the melee; the battle's tide remained unclear.
Far off, Nascent Soul cultivators dueled in the heavens. Around Nae Cheonha, a blizzard raged, pressuring her foes as countless ice spears shattered their barriers.
Yeop Inyeong pitted giant puppet beasts against three Nascent Soul enemies. Yuseong marveled at the humanoid puppet matching a Nascent Soul blow for blow.
Unkak Sect's standout was Sect Leader Wiyeon. Proving his late Nascent Soul pinnacle, he unleashed vast lightning waves, slaying demon beasts while Black Dark Sect and Blood Shadow Sect allies kept their distance from his wide-ranging thunder.
Byeok Soseol fought beside a late Core Formation cultivator loaned a puppet by Yeop Inyeong. Idle without her direct control, it blasted approaching foes with beams of light.
Yuseong poked his head out for a casual glance before ducking low and inching onward. Flat on his belly, he smeared himself in gore, pocketing any visible spirit pearls.
His divine sense depleted by the Ecstasy Soul Enslavement Art, he couldn't detect enemies and moved with extra caution. Tension and fatigue gripped his body.
Clearing blocking corpses beneath the wall, he came face-to-face with a live foe—his odd overseas robes gave him away.
“W-Wait...”
The man sprang up, but Yuseong shattered his barrier with a fist and crushed his skull with a kick.
Splat!
Infusing the Soul Binding Net with mana unleashed black threads that subdued the nascent soul and dragged it inside. The motion drew eyes; a group of overseas cultivators broke off from afar and flew over.
Damn...
“That soul-gathering tool of yours looks impressive.”
“We'll kill you painlessly—just stay put.”
“Fate Path disciples are merciful. Beg for your life.”
Three early Core Formation cultivators eyed the net greedily, encircling him. His mana was spent; only Iron Skin Art remained trustworthy. No time for Golden Barrier or Fire Dragon formations.
Even at full strength, he'd have barely won. Now, escape seemed impossible.
No time to ponder—their assault began. Desperate, he burned vital blood to replenish mana. A cultivation setback loomed, but better than death.
Trusting his Iron Skin Art, he charged, striking with the Flame Bead while dodging relentlessly and landing punches and kicks. Yet the trio's combined assault pierced his defenses, shocks rippling through him.
His limits neared; blood seeped from his seven orifices, vision staining red. A savage urge to slaughter them surged from his depths.
Unstable realm, depleted mana, burned vital blood—it summoned the heart demon.
His pent-up killing intent materialized, surging wildly.
“Gaaahhh!”
His qi and blood twisted, body shuddering as slaughter lust eroded his mind. He yearned to rip the foes apart.
A bestial roar escaped his lips as he lunged at the burly man. The foe swung his longsword in panic, but it lodged in Yuseong's left arm and wouldn't budge.
Shattering the barrier with his body, Yuseong pulverized the man's head with his right fist amid mad laughter.
“Hahahahaha!”
Killing one brought sweet relief—but it wasn't enough. As he advanced on the remaining pair, they fled skyward in terror.
He pursued, but his body collapsed. Ravenous thirst struck; he dunked his face in a blood pool and drank.
Still parched, he staggered up, scanning near the walls for prey. Spotting the giant turtle spirit beast, killing intent boiled. He shuffled toward it.
Each step brought agony, as if his body begged to stop. But he couldn't. He had to kill.
The beast noticed, turning and gaping wide. Paralyzed, Yuseong wondered: Is this how I die?
Death's approach quelled the bloodlust, bringing eerie calm. As the indigo beam neared, his life flashed before him—entering Unkak Sect, all he'd endured.
Mother, I miss you. Wol, I'm sorry.
Sensing doom, he closed his eyes.
Boom!
“Trying to die already?”
A familiar voice. He blinked open blurry eyes to see a blood-smeared woman: Yeop Inyeong.
“Division Leader... I gave my all... Am I... a proud disciple of Unkak Sect?”
“Yuseong, you are a proud disciple of Unkak Sect.”
Those words—he'd craved them. Years of outer disciple bitterness vanished. Tears flowed unbidden as he crumpled forward.
Yeop Inyeong caught and embraced him tightly.
“You did well. Rest now.”
Her embrace felt like his mother's—warm and safe.
A faint ache and herbal scent roused him.
“You're awake at last.”
A kind voice. Beside the bed stood Medical Hall Lord Seong Yuhyang, holding a bowl of medicine.
“Hall Lord... How did the Goseong battle end?”
“The overseas forces from Demon Horse Path, Fate Path, and Three Gods Path were defeated and retreated to the coast.”
“We won. Then... where are we?”
“An inn inside Goseong. Many injured Unkak Sect disciples are recovering here.”
“Heavy losses?”
Seong Yuhyang's face darkened slightly.
“Most deaths were Qi Refining disciples—over two hundred. Fifteen Core Formation, and one Nascent Soul guest elder, Elder Su.”
So many Qi Refiners gone? Then surely Byeok Soseol...
“Do you know what happened to Byeok Soseol from Squad Three with me?”
“She's alive.”
Relief washed over him.
“When you collapsed, Yeop Division Leader asked me to check you. A heart demon had struck—a dire state. You'd even burned vital blood. Without my temporary fix, you'd have died on the spot.”
“Temporary? So it could return?”
“As reverse-heaven cultivators, heart demons ever lurk. Only your own power can conquer it fully—stay vigilant.”
She set down the bowl.
“This heals internal injuries. Drink it all and focus on recovery.”
“Thank you.”
He downed the medicine, sat cross-legged, and circulated his qi. Twisted channels slowed his flow. He swallowed injury pills from the spirit pearl hoard, concentrating on healing.
External wounds had knit thanks to eighth-star Iron Skin Art's resilience.
Victory was fortunate, but the war raged on. He needed peak condition fast.
A day later, word came: all overseas foes had fled to the islands. Goseong erupted in celebration; Unkak Sect prepared to return.
Allied corpses by the walls were cremated; enemies' claimed by Blood Shadow Sect and Black Dark Sect.
As before, Sect Leader Wiyeon led from the front. Though barely departed, Yuseong already missed the sect. He longed to collapse on his stone bed in the cave and sleep soundly.