Chapter 173
Before truly reaping the benefits of the situation, Jaseong stroked Mansul in his inner pocket.
[Maximize the effectiveness of the stealth technique.]
Understanding Jaseong's words, Mansul perked up her three tails and released her spiritual energy to the fullest.
At that moment—
Shuuuuk—
Jaseong's presence vanished completely.
Like a shadow merging into the darkness, his very existence was erased.
Even standing right before their eyes, he was invisible; not a trace of his presence could be sensed. It was perfect concealment.
However, since Mansul was expending her spiritual power at maximum, the duration was much shorter than usual.
He was given around two shikcheong. Within that time, he had to settle things.
In that state, Jaseong slowly and carefully approached from behind the disciples of the Right Protector, Demonic Blood Exalted One.
Neither Demonic Blood Exalted One nor Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens noticed Jaseong's approach.
All their attention was on each other, their senses dulled by each other's killing intent.
Jaseong stopped in the shadow, right behind Demonic Blood Exalted One's disciples.
In his hand he gripped the Wicked Flame Sword.
'Now.'
Jaseong channeled his inner force to the tip of his sword. Next—
Shuaaak!
He unleashed a sword aura at lightning speed. But his target was not Demonic Blood Exalted One's disciples.
Jaseong's sword aura narrowly missed Demonic Blood Exalted One's disciples and flew straight at the disciples of the Protector, Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens, standing directly opposite.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!!!
"Gyaaah!"
"Keurgh!"
Three of Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's disciples were severed by the sword aura; their bodies split apart, blood spraying across the plaza.
Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's face twisted in rage. Blue poison energy erupted from her eyes.
"What the hell is this, Demonic Blood Exalted One?! You dare strike first?!"
Naturally, Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens assumed Demonic Blood Exalted One had led a surprise attack.
The sword aura had come from behind Demonic Blood Exalted One's disciples—there was no room for doubt.
Besides, Demonic Blood Exalted One was well-known for his impatient and violent temper.
Of course, Demonic Blood Exalted One also looked dumbfounded.
He had not expected his disciples to launch a killing strike without his orders.
"Don't play dumb! Demonic Blood Exalted One! If it's war you want, then I'll gladly oblige!"
Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens immediately gathered her inner force and struck out with her Poison Palm.
"Ten Thousand-Poison Corrosive Palm(萬毒腐蝕掌)!"
Puuuk!
Green poison energy poured toward Demonic Blood Exalted One.
The moment the poison touched the stone floor, it sizzled and melted.
"You old hag, how dare you use poison on me?!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One couldn't bear it anymore and unleashed his martial arts.
His entire body glowed red.
"Demonic Blood Asura Art!"
Kwaaaang!
The collision of two experts shook the stone chamber. Poison energy and blood ki clashed with a tremendous explosion.
"Kill them!"
"Sweep them away!"
Disciples from both sides rushed in all at once. Swords, poison, and concealed weapons turned the battle into chaos.
Watching this, Jaseong quickly sent a signal to his group.
[Everyone, fall back!]
At Jaseong's telepathic message, his party retreated quickly and hid behind a rock, watching the battle between the two Right Protectors.
'That opened up an opportunity way too easily.'
Seeing the demonic cultists madly fighting to the death, Jaseong muttered to himself.
Still, he couldn't afford any real ease of mind.
The clash of the two Right Protectors was loud. Other demonic cult experts, or even the Third and Fourth Protectors, might rush over attracted by the uproar.
If that happened, chaos would grow, and Jaseong would lose his chance to assassinate Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens.
Worse, he and his party risked being surrounded.
'Timing is everything.'
Jaseong scanned the battlefield with hawk-like eyes.
The battle between Demonic Blood Exalted One and Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens was fierce.
They were both wounding each other, draining their inner force.
'Just a little longer... At the moment their strength wanes, and an opening appears...'
Jaseong gripped the Wicked Flame Sword tightly. His gaze flashed like a beast about to sever its prey's throat.
The very instant Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's neck could be cut—he knew it would come.
* * *
Still cloaked in darkness, Jaseong watched the two demonic cult Protectors clash.
Kwaaang! Kwang!
With every collision between Demonic Blood Exalted One's red blood ki and Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's green poison energy, the air itself screamed.
The rocks around melted, the ground cracked.
The battle of absolute experts was a disaster in itself.
Jaseong held his breath and pushed the Samadhi Eyes to the extreme.
Saaaa—
The world turned ashen and time slowed.
Every movement of the two Right Protectors appeared in minute detail: the flow of inner force, the contraction of muscles, the direction of their gaze.
Within that chaos, Jaseong waited for a single opening, the decisive moment.
'Not yet... just a little more....'
Then Demonic Blood Exalted One roared and thrust out both hands.
"Blood Demon Asura Palm!"
A massive, blood-red palm shape engulfed Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens.
She swung her staff, raising a poisonous mist to block it.
"Hmph! This is nothing!"
Puuuong!
The two energies collided head-on. A tremendous explosion sent shockwaves rippling out in all directions.
The backlash sent Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's body flying backward. Her stance broke.
Her defensive aura scattered, leaving her nape completely exposed.
'Now!'
Jaseong's eyes gleamed. He hesitated no longer.
'Celestial Gate Opening Art.'
Jaseong flung open the Immortal Gates within his body. First gate, second, third... in an instant, up to the Tenth Gate, and even Heaven's Gate.
Wuuuuuung!
Explosive inner force surged from his dantian.
But that alone was not enough. The opponent was the Second Protector of the Demonic Cult.
To kill with a single blow, he needed even greater power.
Jaseong focused on his middle dantian, near his heart. There he awakened the pure white energy gathered there: Innate True Ki.
'Awaken.'
Whoosh!
Innate True Ki blazed and rushed along his meridians. Golden inner force and that pure white energy fused, cloaking Jaseong's entire body.
In that state, Jaseong drew the Wicked Flame Sword. Over the jet-black blade, a black-gold sword aura flared with intensity.
Shuaaaak!
Jaseong pushed off the ground. With Mansul's concealment still active, he remained invisible.
Only a chilling murderous intent slashed through space in a split second.
Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens instinctively felt a terror of death. A cold chill ran up her back.
She was about to turn her head.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword First Form: Heaven Evading Flash Radiance.'
FLASH!
From the darkness, a dazzling flash erupted. A blade faster than sound itself.
Pusshuk—
A dull, terrible sound. Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's eyes flew wide open.
Her vision spun. She saw her own body standing down below.
Blood was spurting from her neck like a fountain.
'Wha...?'
That was her final thought.
Thud. Plunk.
Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's head fell to the floor and rolled away.
It was the wretched end of the witch who tortured countless innocents.
Jaseong stared coldly at the corpse of the fallen Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens.
'Finally... I've avenged my sister-in-law.'
It was as if the knot deep in his chest was finally loosening.
The cruel witch who used his sister-in-law as a human shield in Ansun's Red Light District now sprawled headless at his feet.
For this very moment, hadn't he sharpened his martial arts to the edge of madness?
But there was no time for sentiment.
"Who's there!"
A thunderous shout rang out.
It was Demonic Blood Exalted One.
The very moment Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's head flew off, he caught a glimpse of a faint shadow flicker behind her.
Sssllk―
Just then, the stealth wore off, revealing Jaseong's form.
Demonic Blood Exalted One immediately pointed his sword at him, eyes filled with shock and vigilance.
'... What an expert. To approach within arm's reach, even evading my and Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's ki sense.'
Demonic Blood Exalted One's pupils trembled. He didn't know Jaseong had used Mansul's concealment technique.
Just by having his senses fooled so perfectly, Demonic Blood Exalted One took Jaseong for a master at a realm much higher than his own, perhaps even a monster who had reached the Transformation Realm.
What's more, the force radiating from Jaseong was overwhelming.
The fusion of the Celestial Gate Opening Art and Innate True Ki emanated an energy so intense that even Demonic Blood Exalted One felt oppressed.
'Where the hell did this bastard come from? Murim Alliance? Unorthodox Alliance?'
Demonic Blood Exalted One swallowed hard.
To fight such a monster after expending his strength against Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens would have been suicide.
Jaseong, of course, was equally tense.
'I just used up all the Innate True Ki in my middle dantian with that last strike. If I delay, other demonic cultists will come running. To keep my friends safe, I have to end this and leave as soon as possible.'
Jaseong gripped his sword and glared at Demonic Blood Exalted One.
His Samadhi Eyes began to probe for any gaps.
But then, Demonic Blood Exalted One unexpectedly lowered his sword and spoke.
"Leave my sight. I'll let you go this once."
Jaseong doubted his ears.
The Demonic Cult's First Protector was letting an enemy go?
But for Demonic Blood Exalted One, it was a supremely calculated decision.
Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens had been his political rival—a thorn that sooner or later would have to be removed.
Jaseong had saved him the trouble.
Moreover, Demonic Blood Exalted One had no confidence he could defeat the monster standing before him, who had dispatched Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens with a single strike.
If he fought now, he could suffer even greater losses.
Demonic Blood Exalted One spoke again.
"Remember this. I'm letting you go today, but if you show yourself again in the Ten-Thousand-Mountain Range, I will kill you with my own hands for the crime of defiling the sacred ground of the Demonic Cult."
Jaseong gazed at Demonic Blood Exalted One for a moment, then slowly sheathed his sword.
'That was lucky.'
Jaseong muttered inwardly and turned away.
[We're withdrawing.]
As Jaseong's telepathic message came, Lee Rin, Gu Janghu, Gal Seo-ryeong, and the others in hiding moved swiftly, slipping into the darkness and exiting the scene in an instant.
* * *
Shu-ak! Shu-ak! Shu-ak!
Cutting through the wind, Jaseong's group retreated to the periphery of the Ten-Thousand-Mountain Range.
As they entered a deserted cave, tension released and exhaustion washed over them.
"Haah... I really thought my heart was going to stop."
Lee Rin sighed and slumped to the ground, clutching her chest. To kill a Protector at the heart of the Demonic Cult and come back alive—it was dizzying to think about.
"Sect Leader, you're truly amazing. To cut down Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens amidst that heavy security..."
Gu Janghu said admiringly. Han Soweol and Gal Seo-ryeong also gazed at Jaseong with respect.
But Jaseong's expression wasn't purely bright. He had achieved his revenge, but Heaven's Mandate still remained.
'Now it's time to get the Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir... but how on earth do I obtain it?'
Just then—
Whoooosh—
A mysterious wind blew through the cave. Then, shimmering light danced in midair, and a small cat appeared.
It was the Celestial Realm's spirit beast, Night Cat Celestial Spirit.
"Meow."
Night Cat Celestial Spirit landed gently in front of Jaseong.
"Well done, disciple. By executing Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens you have thwarted the Demonic Cult's evil ritual."
"Thank you."
"But it's not over yet."
"I know. There's still the Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir. But how am I supposed to get it?"
"So you didn't see it."
"....?"
"The Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir manifested at the altar as the price of Ghost Mother of the Nine Heavens's death."
At that moment, Jaseong's eyes flickered slightly.
'... The Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir has already appeared at the altar?'