Chapter 87
A scream filled with agony erupted from Yun-hyeon's mouth, who was on the verge of death.
It felt as if fire had ignited within his blood vessels—scorching pain crashed over him.
"Kkaagh! Ueok! Kkaaaaagh!!!"
As Yun-hyeon writhed in pain, Jaseong continuously sent a blade of inner energy into his lower abdominal energy channels.
A cruel technique that ruptured the energy channels, slowly amplifying the pain.
This was the torture art from Killing Valley, learned from Gu Janghu.
Thanks to the Samadhi Eyes, Jaseong could control his true ki with the utmost precision, enabling him to execute this torture art several times more efficiently than Gu Janghu himself.
Because of this, Yun-hyeon's muscles and organs collapsed, and he was engulfed in a maddening pain as his blood boiled.
"Kkaagh! Ueok! Kill me! Kkaaaaagh! Just kill me already!! Please!!"
Yun-hyeon's body bent like a bow as he screamed.
With his entire energy channels already ruptured by Jaseong, adding the torture from Killing Valley made the pain reach its utmost peak.
As he watched Yun-hyeon beg for death, Jaseong recalled his old vow.
'I will become a might that stands above the world,
rip off your limbs,
throw you into a pigsty,
and inflict upon you every torment in existence until you beg for death.
I will surely become the World's Greatest!'
Behind a blood-red sunset were the martial world experts of the Murim Alliance, who had massacred the civilians of the Red Light District and left without a shred of remorse.
As he watched their distant backs, Jaseong remembered the mountain-like sense of helplessness and the oath that accompanied it.
At last—today, Jaseong fulfilled a small part of that desperate vow.
* * *
Even after the fight was over, those around them could not easily escape from their chills.
'I sensed Ansun's leader surpassed the peak, but... to see the Zhongnan's head disciple trampled so one-sidedly....'
Han Soweol could not hide her shock.
The truth was, even when Jaseong said he would go deal with the head disciple of Zhongnan, she'd expected it to be tough.
Zhongnan's head disciple, Yun-hyeon, had won at the last Dragon-Phoenix Gathering and was renowned as a rising dragon of the orthodox sects.
On top of that, his junior, Yun-hak, was with him.
They were enemies formidable even for Han Soweol herself.
But Jaseong had overturned Han Soweol's expectations in an instant.
Even while simultaneously facing the head disciple from one of the Nine Great Sects and his junior, he didn't spill a single drop of blood.
'The leader... has become even more of a monster.'
Gu Janghu's face showed the same surprise.
He was one of those who had watched Jaseong's evolution most closely.
Though he was strong even at their first meeting at the Dark Path Duel Banquet, he was now several times stronger—so much so, the word "monster" came to mind.
It was then.
"P-please spare me...!"
Among those collapsed by the forest, one figure staggered and crawled forward.
A face covered in blood, torn martial robes, eyes filled with terror.
This was none other than Yang Cheonmok, the head disciple of Jungcheon Sect, one of the minor orthodox sects.
"I-I was only searching for the Seven-Star Cloud Blade to revive my sect."
"......"
"I have nothing to do with Zhongnan—in fact, they are my sworn enemies! If you spare me, I will repay this grace for the rest of my life!"
Yang Cheonmok pressed his forehead to the ground and begged.
Before Jaseong's overwhelming might, he was utterly consumed by fear.
Jaseong simply gazed down at Yang Cheonmok in silence.
And then, all of a sudden, he spoke.
"I will give you a single moment to escape."
"Pardon...?"
"Disappear from my sight within that moment. If you cannot, your life will be forfeit."
"...!!"
Jaseong's threat was icy cold.
Facing him, Yang Cheonmok looked as if he had been resurrected from death itself.
After that, Yang Cheonmok ran for his life, fleeing into the forest with all the strength he could muster.
Watching his retreat, Jaseong slid his sword back into its scabbard and withdrew his murderous intent.
'... With this, all my plans are complete.'
In truth, Jaseong had no reason to kill Yang Cheonmok.
Rather, Yang Cheonmok was a piece he needed to use.
Once Yang Cheonmok returned to the Death Gate, word would spread far and wide across the martial world:
that Zhongnan attempted to monopolize the Seven-Star Cloud Blade and slaughtered the minor orthodox sects in the process; then, the Murong Clan appeared, massacred Zhongnan, and made off with the blade.
Afterwards, news of great misfortune would reach the Murong Clan as well:
The clan head's only son, Murong Hwang, and his escorts had become corpses.
Thus, a great rift would form within the martial world.
An unavoidable war would erupt between Zhongnan—one of the Nine Great Sects—and the Murong Clan—one of the Five Great Clans;
the minor sects would be outraged, deepening their mistrust of the Murim Alliance.
'... With this, I have completed the sixth Heaven's Mandate, "Cause a Rift in the Martial World". As a reward, I'll soon be able to receive a new martial art from the Heaven Evading Way.'
Jaseong gazed up at the night sky with a sense of relief.
The stars shone especially bright and clear, almost as if the immortals of the celestial realm, or the successors of past Heaven's Mandate, were watching over him.
"Shall we go now, great hero? Our business in this Yinyang County is done."
At that moment, Lee Rin approached Jaseong, who was lost in sentiment.
"Yes. Let's wrap everything up and go."
"I can't wait to get home, take a half-bath, and eat some sweets. Hehe."
At Lee Rin's words, Jaseong finally gave a little laugh.
He nodded, and began preparations to leave Yinyang County.
They headed to a nearby forest, took off the Murong Clan's martial robes they'd been wearing, and dressed the corpses of Murong Hwang and his escorts in them again, among other tasks.
But just as Jaseong's group finished this,—
Shiiiii—
Suddenly, a sinister energy was felt from beyond the woods where Jaseong stood.
'This energy...?'
Jaseong's brow furrowed.
It was the same ominous energy he'd sensed at the eastern ridge of Mount Giryeong before the operation began.
"... Great hero."
Lee Rin also seemed to sense the ominous aura—her previously bright smile vanished, and tension flickered in her eyes.
Gu Janghu and the guardians of North Sea immediately set themselves on guard.
"Lee Rin and I will use Seeking Light in the Darkness to investigate the source of this evil energy. Please stay on alert here."
As soon as he spoke, Jaseong's form soared into the air.
Lee Rin followed right behind.
Their destination was the tallest tree nearby, easily over thirty jang high.
Tatadak! Tatadak!
Thanks to Shadowless Divine Thief's movement skill and the Shadowless Body Technique, Jaseong and Lee Rin reached the top in the blink of an eye.
From there, they scanned the area and activated Seeking Light in the Darkness.
Shiiiii—
Threads of energy unfurled from Jaseong and Lee Rin, spreading into the woods in all directions.
Soon enough, their senses clearly detected the presence of martial world experts hiding in the forest.
More than a hundred jang away, unidentified experts were on the move.
"Great hero, did you sense that?"
"Yes."
"These aren't ordinary experts. I've never felt an energy like this... Judging from the evil aura, they aren't from the orthodox Murim Alliance... Could it be that the elders of the Evil Path Association showed up to seize the Seven-Star Cloud Blade?"
Lee Rin's speculation was plausible.
The only ones in the martial world capable of spreading such evil energy this far were the elder-class experts of the Evil Path Association.
Their murderous intent was on another level from even ordinary warriors—it spewed forth a disgusting and eerie aura.
But Jaseong voiced a doubt.
'... I heard that after the righteous–evil conflict, the elders of the Evil Path Association had not shown themselves in the world. So how could all these hidden experts suddenly appear at once...?'
Then, in the following moment, something stranger happened.
Srrrk—
Suddenly the evil energy they had felt was cut off as if by a knife.
As if it had never existed, the aura wrapping the forest vanished without a trace.
"... What's going on? The enemy's energy just disappeared."
Confusion tinged Lee Rin's voice.
At once, Jaseong activated Seeking Light in the Darkness again.
But the enemy's energy had diminished so much, it was hard to sense them.
'Have they perhaps learned a martial art that conceals their energy, like Lee Rin's Ice-Blood Sealing Pulse?'
Lee Rin asked again.
"So what now, great hero?"
Jaseong thought for a moment before replying.
"Let's go down and observe the situation a bit longer. Better than moving recklessly."
* * *
At that very moment.
The slash-and-burn folk's village.
Nestled on a mountainside, the village appeared peaceful.
Dilapidated thatched cottages huddled together, and chickens pecked idly at the yard.
They may have been poor, but even in hard labor, laughter bloomed—this was a tranquil place.
But today was different.
"Kyaaaah!"
At the sudden scream, chaos exploded across the village.
"This one is the Maniac Blade, Sa Cheonwi!"
A notorious demonic path expert who had made a name for himself near Blue Sea Lake appeared, threatening the slash-and-burn folk.
And he wasn't the only one.
The lord of White Demon Valley, Three-Venoms Imp.
The Mad Demon, Jin Chung,
Black Wind Monk, and others.
Numerous infamous demonic experts emerged from around the village, terrifying the slash-and-burn folk.
"Everyone come out! Anyone hiding will die!"
"If you know anything about the Seven-Star Cloud Blade, spit it out!"
Cruel energy lurked in the eyes of every demonic path cultivator.
The slash-and-burn folk, terrified, were herded into the center of the village.
Among them was the innocent girl who had handed Jaseong acorns earlier that day.
She clung to her younger siblings, trembling.
"Please... We know nothing. We are but simple folk who farm the land."
A middle-aged man, the representative of the villagers, pleaded.
But the demonic cultivators only sneered.
"You don't know? If you don't, you die."
"Hiiik! P-please, have mercy...!"
At that moment, cutting through the undergrowth, appeared martial artists from lesser orthodox sects: Cheongmu Sect, Samhwa Sect, and others.
They had been camped in the nearby forest for the night and had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
"The martial heroes of the orthodox sects have come! We're saved now!"
"Heroic ones, please spare us!"
Recognizing the orthodox warriors on sight, some of the villagers cried out.
Just recently, they had served potatoes and vegetable rice to these warriors.
But the orthodox sect cultivators only gripped their sword hilts, showing not a hint of resolve.
It was because the demonic path experts outclassed them by a level.
"Kekeke. Cowardly orthodox dogs. This is the true face of the righteous path."
"You speak of righteousness and chivalry, but all you seek is your own survival, hypocrites. Huhuhu."
The demonic cultivators mocked them.
It was then.
"How amusing."
A gentle voice spoke from somewhere.
The demonic cultivators' eyes turned that way.
A young man with a beard reaching his waist stood at the village entrance.
"Who's that bastard?"
With eyes that seemed forever half-lidded and a friendly smile, the young man walked as if out for a stroll.
Naturally, such an attitude irked the demonic experts.
"One of the orthodox sects gathered here? Brat, you've got no fear."
"Try to act the hero, and your life will be cut short, whelp. Kukuk."
The demonic cultivators radiated savage murderous intent, mockery in their eyes.
But the bearded youth only maintained his gentle smile.
Then suddenly,
Srrrk!
The young man's body flickered, barely perceptibly.
That was all.
Chuaak! Chuaak! Chuaak!
"Gghak?!"
"Aaagh?!"
"K-keok! W-what is this...?!"
Suddenly, one after another, the demonic cultivators collapsed.
Without even knowing what had happened, they coughed blood and met death.
Limbs twisted, bodies split cleanly in two—it was a gruesome sight.
In but a single breath, all seven of the demonic experts had perished.
'A-amazing power...!'
'At this level, he's on par with the elders of the Nine Great Sects—perhaps even higher?! Who is this hero?!'
Shock rippled among the minor sect martial artists.
The slash-and-burn folk also rubbed their eyes in disbelief but soon bowed their heads in gratitude.
"Th-thank you, great hero! Thank you so much!"
"How could we ever repay this favor...!"
Tears streamed down the villagers' faces as they bowed to the youth.
At last, even the minor sect warriors approached in awe.
"A-amazing strength...! Might we know your name and rank?"
"From which sect does such a prodigy hail, to sweep away those foul demons in a single stroke?"
The orthodox warriors showered the young man with praise.
But for some reason, the bearded young man only smiled faintly at their compliments.
And then a moment later—
Chuaak!
"Gghak?!"
This time, he instantly cut down the minor sect warriors.
"So noisy with your babbling."
He spoke.
His chilling tone no longer matched the warmth of his earlier smile.
"G-great hero...?"
Just moments before, the villagers had been bowing in gratitude—but now they realized something was terribly wrong.
And as the villagers looked up at the young man with terror-filled eyes,
the bearded youth finally revealed his identity.
"Hear me, new slaves of my cult. I am Yeom Musa, the fourth disciple of the Heavenly Demon, Bloodflame Demon Lord."
"...!"
"...!!"