Chapter 175
The Demonic Cultists screamed in terror and panic.
"It's an enemy attack!"
"We're under attack from the north!"
"The warehouse has exploded! Everyone, gather at the north gate!"
The cultists, who had been asleep, rushed out barely clutching their swords, and the warriors on watch fell into confusion.
The Heavenly Demon's disciples, located in the heart of the Demonic Cult, also shouted like thunder.
"How dare they! Who dares attack this lord's lair?!"
"Find and kill them all! Head north immediately!"
Most of the high-ranking experts of the Demonic Cult, including the Third and Fourth Protectors, raced to the north.
The entire Ten-Thousand-Mountain Range became a scene of chaos.
Just as Jaseong had planned, all of the enemies' attention was perfectly focused on the north.
Seizing the opportunity, dozens of innocent civilians who had been imprisoned poured out.
"Run for your lives!"
"We're saved! We're saved!"
The civilians scattered in all directions—
into the darkness, into the forest, into the valleys.
Desperate to survive, they ran with all their might.
Because of this, the cultists grew even more confused as they chased after the escaping civilians.
"Who the hell let the civilians out?!"
"Catch those running away over there!"
"The warehouse is urgent! We'll catch them later!"
The Demonic Cultists wandered aimlessly, unable to respond properly.
Meanwhile, Jaseong was running with Lee Rin toward the altar.
After running for half a shijin, as expected, there were few cultists near the altar.
Most of the cultists had gone north, where the explosion had occurred.
Jaseong suppressed his presence as much as possible and approached the back of the altar.
He then sent a telepathic message to Lee Rin.
[Rin, wait here and join me when I give the signal.]
[Okay. I'll keep watch.]
Jaseong nodded and activated the Samadhi Eyes.
Saaa—
Time slowed, and everything became strikingly clear.
The movement of the air, the motion of the dust, and even the anxious breaths of the cultists.
Within all this, Jaseong saw a resplendent mass of light hovering above the altar.
A small jade vial suffused with red and blue energy.
The aura it exuded was so clear and intense that it repelled the demonic ki surrounding it.
Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir.
'That's it!'
Jaseong's heart pounded rapidly.
With that, he could overcome the barrier to the transformation realm.
Holding his breath, Jaseong drew the Wicked Flame Sword.
Remaining in stealth, he quietly approached the cultists around the altar.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, three Beats—Hundred Descending Calamities.'
Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!
Blinding flashes exploded continuously from Jaseong's sword.
It was a silent, imperceptible sword strike.
Pshk! Pshk! Pshk!
Within a single breath, all six cultists fell, their throats slashed.
They died without ever knowing what struck them.
Not even a scream escaped them—a perfect assassination.
Ignoring the bodies, Jaseong stepped toward the altar.
It was finally time to seize the Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir.
But at that moment, something strange caught Jaseong's eyes.
Around the elixir atop the altar, a transparent barrier shimmered.
A faint pulsating red aura.
It was not a mere internal energy shield.
It was a powerful ward, mixed with the demonic ki of the Celestial Realm.
'Is that a barrier set by the Heavenly Demons?'
How will I break through that barrier?
Jaseong felt at a loss.
It was a sanctified yet wicked energy that no ordinary sword attack could pierce.
At that moment, Mansul stirred from within his clothes.
"Meow."
Mansul leapt from Jaseong's arms and approached the barrier before the altar.
Raising her three tails, she manifested a radiant light.
Fwoooosh—
A dazzling celestial radiance burst forth.
As that light touched the barrier, the red energy began to fade away with a burning hiss.
'So the power of a celestial beast works!'
Jaseong's eyes sparkled.
He had never felt more grateful that Mansul was a spiritual creature of the Celestial Realm.
But Mansul's strength alone could not completely break the ward.
It only cracked, remaining largely intact.
Mansul struggled, but it seemed insufficient.
So, Jaseong next activated the Celestial Gate Opening Art and concentrated all his energy into the Wicked Flame Sword.
Explosive energy erupted from his lower dantian, flowing along the sword hilt, and a black-gold sword aura radiated from the tip.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, secret Essence—Heaven Evading Shadow Annihilation Sword.'
Jaseong slashed down with the sword.
Kwaaaang!
The sword aura traced along the cracks and pierced into the barrier.
The barrier trembled as if screaming.
The demonic ki of the Celestial Realm collided with Jaseong's sword aura, sending up sparks.
Frrrrrrrrng! Crash!
Finally, the barrier shattered like glass and vanished.
Red fragments scattered through the air.
At that moment, the jade vial containing the Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir floated up.
Jaseong reached out and seized the jade vial.
A cold yet burning, uncanny sensation transferred to his palm.
'Got it!'
In an instant, an immense spiritual ki surged from the vial.
A warm, intense energy seeped through Jaseong's whole body.
'This is... the power of the Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir!'
Merely clutching the vial heated his dantian.
His energy channels flew open all at once, and a wave of ecstasy washed through him, as though every cell in his body were awakening.
It was then.
"You bastard!"
A thunderous voice resounded.
Jaseong reflexively turned his head.
In the distance, a man enveloped in red blood ki was rushing toward the altar.
It was Demonic Blood Exalted One.
He had realized the explosion was a diversion and, trusting his instincts, returned to the altar.
"So it was you after all! How dare you defy this lord's words and come back!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One's face contorted in rage.
Blood-red light shot from his eyes.
Jaseong calmly tucked the Heaven-Transforming Creation Elixir into his clothes and said, "I just couldn't walk away from something this valuable."
"You will not escape now! I'll tear your flesh and bones apart and offer them to the altar!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One unleashed the Demonic Blood Asura Art.
His entire body burned red, unleashing a torrent of blood ki.
The surrounding air vibrated with the stench of blood.
Jaseong readjusted his grip on the Wicked Flame Sword.
His gaze was calm, but it burned with resolve not to retreat.
'This time, I will have to fight.'
Jaseong tightened his hold on the Wicked Flame Sword.
At that moment, Demonic Blood Exalted One unleashed a massive bloody palm strike.
"Blood Demon Asura Palm!"
KWAANG!
A blood-colored wave of force battered Jaseong.
Its power could topple mountains.
The very air screamed as it was shredded, and the surrounding rocks were pulverized to dust.
In front of this, Jaseong brandished the Wicked Flame Sword to defend himself.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, Eight Stroke—Heaven Evading Counterstroke.'
Of the twelve forms of the Heaven Evading Flash Sword, this was a defensive form that thrust the sword like lightning to directly meet an opponent's attack.
SHWAAAK!
Jaseong's energy clashed with the bloody palm.
Sword force and palm energy collided, triggering a tremendous explosion.
KWA-BLAM! WHAM! THUD!
The rocks around the altar shattered.
The ground split open, the sky tore.
Jaseong's clothes whipped violently in the aftermath.
"Blood Demon Linked Palms!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One roared and charged at Jaseong.
A torrent of explosive blood ki erupted from both his hands.
PAPAPAT!
A rain of continuous palm strikes pounded toward Jaseong.
Each one could smash stone.
Jaseong used the Heaven Evading Phantom Step to leap aside.
His figure left afterimages as he dodged Demonic Blood Exalted One's attacks.
But Demonic Blood Exalted One's assault was relentless.
He pressed Jaseong without giving him any chance to escape.
'If I waste more time, I'll be in danger. The other protectors could return too.'
Jaseong's eyes grew cold and sharp.
As it stood, he could not be certain of victory.
Worst of all, time was running out.
While unleashing the Heaven Evading Flash Sword with his Wicked Flame Sword, he also retrieved a small pouch from his chest.
In it were the silver needles bestowed by the Eternal Divine Physician.
Jaseong scattered the pouch's contents into the air.
FWOOOSH!
Hundreds of silver needles shot up into the sky.
Under the moonlight, the needles sparkled and floated like stars.
Demonic Blood Exalted One frowned.
"Hidden weapons? Do you think that's enough to stop me?"
Demonic Blood Exalted One unleashed a protective enhanced energy.
Red blood ki enveloped his body.
It was a powerful barrier that could deflect most hidden weapons.
But Jaseong was unfazed.
'Thousand Needles Sword Art.'
Jaseong executed a sword sign.
Instantly, the hundreds of silver needles floating in the air responded.
SHSHSHSHSH!
The needles moved according to Jaseong's will, flying at Demonic Blood Exalted One.
They were not just concealed weapons.
Each one carried immense energy, like hundreds of tiny swords.
"What?!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One was astonished.
The needles twisted in the air like living snakes and pierced through his protective ki.
Pshk! Pshk!
Several needles shot through his barrier and embedded themselves in his body.
"Aaargh!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One screamed.
The poison infused in the needles began to spread through his blood channels.
It was a secret poison left by the Eternal Divine Physician.
A deadly toxin that scattered inner energy and paralyzed the energy channels.
Jaseong did not stop.
He reached his left hand toward the air.
'Gather.'
At Jaseong's command, the scattered needles coalesced toward his left hand.
Hundreds of needles layered together to form the shape of a sword.
Shrrrrk—
A sword of silver needles, the Thousand Needles Sword, materialized in Jaseong's left hand.
The silvery blade formed a strange harmony with the black Wicked Flame Sword.
Wicked Flame Sword in his right hand, thousand Needles Sword in his left.
Jaseong charged at Demonic Blood Exalted One, brandishing twin swords.
KWOAAAK!
Both swords unleashed sword aura at once.
Black-gold and silver-white energies crossed and engulfed Demonic Blood Exalted One.
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWAANG!
Demonic Blood Exalted One desperately poured out blood energy to defend himself.
But, with the poison in his veins, his inner flow was obstructed.
His protective energy wavered, and his defenses collapsed.
"You bastard...!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One's face turned pale.
Flash! Flash! Flash!
Relentless sword aura pressed Demonic Blood Exalted One back.
He staggered, vomiting blood.
"Ack! You...!"
Demonic Blood Exalted One gritted his teeth.
As Jaseong gasped through his forceful assault, he marveled at his own might.
Even though he had opened the Tenth Gate with the Celestial Gate Opening Art, it was astonishing that he could push the Demonic Cult's First Protector this far...!
Just then.
[Great hero! We have to go now!]
Lee Rin's voice sounded in his mind.
When Jaseong turned, the shouts of cultists echoed from afar.
The other high-ranking cultists were rushing this way.
A procession of torches wound down the mountain like a serpent.
'They must be coming after hearing the fight between me and Demonic Blood Exalted One.'
There might even be Heavenly Demon's personal disciples among them.
The highest experts vying for the leader's seat in the Demonic Cult.
If they all reached him, Jaseong's survival would be unlikely.
So, suppressing his regret, Jaseong sheathed his swords.
Immediately, Lee Rin appeared behind him, tossing a smoke bomb at Demonic Blood Exalted One.
BANG!
A flare and smoke erupted.
Demonic Blood Exalted One squeezed his eyes shut and retreated.
Seizing the moment, Jaseong and Lee Rin sprinted away using the Shadowless Body Technique.
SWOOOSH!
The two left afterimages and vanished into the darkness.
Demonic Blood Exalted One parted the smoke and roared, "I swear I will hunt you down and kill you! I swear it!"
Behind the retreating Jaseong and his group, Demonic Blood Exalted One's furious howl resounded.
The other cultists arrived too late—by then, all trace of Jaseong's group had vanished.