Chapter 182 : Hall of Subduing Demons
Hall of Subduing Demons
'The last piece?'
Jeong-un narrowed his eyes unknowingly.
From the way the man spoke, he could roughly guess the meaning.
The man was scheming some sort of formation, the Shaolin brazen bell was one of its materials, and even the Immortal Spirit Pill he had consumed was one of the components.
'Just what is he plotting?'
Before he was the Demonic Cult Leader, he made his name as the Divine Thief.
It was said that, in this guise, he stole numerous items from all across the Central Plains.
That would mean the materials for his formation were so complex that he had to go to such lengths.
Seeing Jeong-un's expression, the man smiled.
"You look like you have many questions. You wouldn't know. These are things I've been preparing for decades."
"Decades, you say?"
"Yes."
He once again picked up the bottle of liquor on the table and poured it.
Clear liquor flowed out, filling the cup.
If you only looked at the scene, you'd think he was sharing his exploits with an old friend.
"The Yin-Yang True Diagram, devised personally by Wudang's sect founder. The Seven Steps Blood Pill, which the Tang clan succeeded in creating only twice in hundreds of years. The Great Luo Nine Curve Sword of Emei's nuns... As for Shaolin, they were just unlucky. The very item I needed was that brazen bell. While others scrambled to hide the disappearance of their divine relics."
"...."
The Wudang sect founder referred to was surely Zhang Sanfeng, a legendary figure.
If he had personally devised it, its value to Wudang would be beyond priceless.
The Seven Steps Blood Pill seemed to belong to the Tang clan's poison arts, and the Great Luo Nine Curve Sword was an item Jeong-un had heard of—it was the sacred artifact used by Emei's sect master for generations.
Jeong-un tilted his head and asked, "You managed to get all those?"
"Do you think that's all?"
Bang!
He slammed his fist onto the table.
In some strange harmony, the table, which had maintained its form until now, instantly crumbled apart. That wasn't all.
Whether he had imbued it with true ki, even the air itself was visibly distorted for a moment.
"Millennium Fire Sable, human-faced Spider, Blackscale Blood Net, Millennium Golden Mongoose...! I tracked down and killed every manner of beast called a demon, hiding deep in secret corners of the Central Plains. I went through great pains to sever only their heads cleanly, so as not to damage their inner cores even in the slightest."
"...."
Again, the names he listed were all worthy of being called divine beasts.
Just the appearance of one would shake all of the Central Plains.
When the grave of the Divine Physician appeared, didn't all the martial artists gather?
The inner cores of such creatures must bear similar value.
But the look on the man's face was not that of someone reveling in his trophies.
On the contrary, as he spoke on and on, a madness slowly tainted even the look in his eyes.
It was as if he couldn't find satisfaction—only regret remained.
"Not a single one met the conditions. Unlike your martial artists' revered treasures, cherished for centuries as precious secrets, those things were just beasts. They merely happened to linger in one place long enough to form an inner core."
"I don't see what you're trying to get at. You're not hoping I'll pity you, are you?"
As Jeong-un said this, he recalled a moment earlier.
When the man struck the table, the air resonated as if ringing with vibration, distorting the space.
It wasn't like the sudden currents created by a strong ki wave.
'Let him keep blabbering for now.'
Rushing in with a sword wasn't the answer here.
As Baek Il-gang and Zhao Gang had pointed out—this was the man's domain.
His carefree talk wasn't negligence but the composure of someone fully prepared.
Crrrk—!
Then, as the man raised his hand, the shattered table reassembled itself into a perfect circle.
It was a sight out of a martial arts booklet, the stuff of legendary spell-arts.
Even seasoned martial artists would have their eyes pop out at such a thing.
'Such a thing can't really exist.'
He shook his head inwardly. Spell-arts, indeed—a laughable notion.
To move distant objects required mastery of peerless arts like Tang clan's Sky-Filling Flower Rain or controlling swords from afar.
The strange manipulation of the environment was entirely due to the influence of this formation here.
'Just a table, yet the air wavered with a strike.'
Was that really possible? Clearly, it was connected to the man's strange workings, especially given his seat by that table.
As he pondered, the man kept talking.
"You don't understand what I'm saying? Is that genuine?"
"I have no idea. Petty thievery and collecting cores of divine beasts—how is any of that connected? Are you saying everything you did was for this formation of yours?"
"Yes, everything was preparation for this formation. Only the last piece was a problem. No spirit beast's core met the requirements. The final hope was that Immortal Spirit Pill... But even I didn't expect that stubborn, mistrustful old man to hand it over so easily. However..."
The man trailed off, eyes loaded with meaning. Jeong-un silently stared back.
In truth, he understood the man's words.
The man intended to use him as material for the formation.
The immensely pure internal energy now filling Jeong-un's dantian.
At last, Jeong-un slowly spoke.
"Let's hear it."
"What?"
"What kind of formation are you trying to enact?"
Clap—!
The man beamed, clapping his hands together. He grinned widely, as if he had been waiting for that very question.
"At last, you ask! I've been waiting for that."
"Just answer."
"Sit. Right there."
"..."
The Demonic Cult Leader gestured to the seat opposite him, his face promising not to utter another word unless Jeong-un complied.
It was unsettling.
Naturally so. This was the man's territory, and everything until now seemed to flow according to his will.
So, time slipped by in brief silence.
Click.
At last, Jeong-un sheathed his sword at his waist and took a step forward.
Step, step.
He walked to the center of the pleasure house's interior, straight toward the man, and sat before the battered, cracked table.
Face to face. He never imagined he'd sit this close, confronting the man eye to eye.
He finally spoke.
"Now, talk."
Saaaak!
With a flutter of his sleeve, the man raised his arm, and a liquor bottle flew in from somewhere, landing in his grasp. He did not even glance at it.
Using his ki sense, he scanned the area—there was nothing there. This was merely one of the man's tricks.
He poured himself another glass.
He looked at Jeong-un as if to ask if he'd like a drink. The expression was quite sly.
He still wore the guise of one who had deceived the royal family, an air of subtle dignity in every motion, which was somehow even more disconcerting.
Seeing this, the Demonic Cult Leader wordlessly smiled, curling his lips.
"Still so bland. At your young age, how do you find any joy in life with such a nature?"
"Just tell me about your formation."
Draining his cup, the man resumed slowly.
"I mean you no harm. In fact, I feel some respect. I have seen so many kinds of people, but you are the first of your kind. Truthfully, none of the martial artists were ever entirely devoted to the martial path... Is your only desire truly to become World'S Greatest?"
"...."
Jeong-un said nothing. He refused to speak until he heard a proper answer.
So the man gave a small chuckle and went on.
"Fine, I'll tell you."
Sararak.
As he set his cup down, a rolled-up paper emerged from his sleeve.
It was so old the text almost couldn't be read, but it was clearly an ancient document.
"It's called the Grand Formation Where All Laws Return to Emptiness. A formation handed down in our cult from ages past."
"'A passed-down formation'?"
If true, then this man really was the legitimate successor of the lost Demonic Cult.
Jeong-un tested him with a sly question, and the leader laughed.
"When your founding emperor sought our help to build his nation, there were close discussions. It was about those martial artist clans spreading everywhere like local lords, increasing their own power even without official rank."
"And you expect me to believe your claim that you discussed such things with them?"
"You don't need to believe it. It's not especially important anymore."
By founding emperor, he meant the Hongwu Emperor, who founded the Great Ming.
Jeong-un had only ever heard of the emperor overcoming the chaos and founding a peaceful nation—never that he'd turned to the demonic for help.
"...."
Yet, there was no deceit in the man's face.
With his current level, Jeong-un could sense the minute changes of ki and emotion, but the man's face and surrounding ki were both inscrutable and firm.
The man continued.
"You already know—some among you possess might enough to overrun rivers and mountains. Such people were never easy to control. Now, even the imperial clan has turned to studying martial arts. Look, has it not come to pass, just as feared? The farther from Beijing, the more power martial artists wield, more than the emperor himself."
"So your formation is meant as a tool to oppress martial artists?"
"That's right. If your founding emperor had kept his promise, it would have been implemented already."
"Cut the nonsense. Get to the point."
At that, the Demonic Cult Leader glared steadily at Jeong-un, then shrugged.
"I've said it before, but I agree with the late Divine Physician, who once claimed to be World'S Greatest. Martial artists are useless. Just some who were lucky enough to hold energy—yet they flaunt luxuries and swing swords everywhere, do they not?"
"You talk as if you're not one of them."
"I'm different. I carry a duty far weightier than even your emperor."
"...."
Receiving no reply at all, the man let out a great laugh, as if Jeong-un's attitude amused him endlessly.
"With this Grand Formation, I shall bring forth a new world."
"Are you talking about treason?"
"Would righting what has already been turned upside down truly be treason?"
He raised his hand and swept it through the air, as if feeling for something invisible.
"Can you sense it—the energy of this place? With your sensitive ki sense, I'm sure you know: the natural energy of the land flows around me. I can draw the miracle of moving energy outside the body into reality. Of course, for now, it's just this cave..."
"... You—"
Sensing something for the first time in the man's tone, Jeong-un's words trailed off.
The man glared at Jeong-un and spoke:
"The scope of the formation I prepare now is this entire land."
"What?"
Jeong-un's eyes widened in shock. The formation's domain is all of the Central Plains? Ridiculous!
"What are you talking about?"
"I will strip all martial artists of their martial arts and make everyone equal. I will make you all—just like the commoners you speak of."
...!