Chapter 170
Chapter 170
In the heavy, sagging atmosphere, no one dared to open their mouth carelessly. Even the Unorthodox Faction, which usually paid little attention to the Orthodox Sect’s gaze, could not afford to pull any reckless stunt this time.
Youngho clenched his fist tightly as he looked at the soldiers’ morale, which had clearly changed compared to before the departure.
‘Did he even anticipate this?’
The Demon Brain was certainly a dangerous existence. There was a saying: know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be defeated in a hundred battles. And the Demon Brain was someone who suited those words better than anyone.
He knew how the Demonic Cult was viewed by the world. Even knowing how greatly the Demonic Cult was regarded as a massive impurity, the Demon Brain merely made use of even that perception.
An ordinary Demonic Practitioner would have oppressed people through overwhelming force and terror. They would have been unable to restrain their rage, claiming that someone had dared to blaspheme the Heavenly Demon.
That was the Demonic Cult, and that was a Demonic Practitioner. And the Demon Brain exploited the world’s perception of them perfectly.
He would not care even if he were criticized as despicable or vicious. After all, the Demon Brain possessed a different kind of fanatical faith from other Demonic Practitioners.
Youngho—no, the entire Alliance—had been played by the Demon Brain’s tricks from the very beginning.
Crunch—!
Youngho ground his teeth fiercely and asked Myeongnyang beside him.
“Are the protests still continuing?”
Recently, the Common People had been boldly spouting words that were almost close to rebellion.
Even though Sichuan and Gansu had already been swallowed by the Demonic Cult, the Imperial Family had taken no measures and instead issued a notice saying that matters of the Martial World should be resolved by Martial Artists themselves.
Furious at this, the Common People had all gathered near the Imperial Palace and were staging protests. The number had reached a staggering forty thousand, so even the Emperor could not easily drive them away.
Myeongnyang also disliked the Emperor, so a satisfied smile formed on his lips.
“Yes. Fortunately, because the Emperor made a foolish decision, the backlash toward the Alliance is minimal. However…”
As Myeongnyang trailed off, Youngho let out a faint chuckle.
“Don’t hesitate. Just say it to the end. I already know it anyway.”
“…The soldiers’ morale must be boosted, and the hearts of the Common People must be restored.”
“Isn’t that simple? We just go to Cheonsan.”
“But…!”
“I’m not saying to gather the soldiers.”
“…Pardon?”
When Myeongnyang asked back in a dumbfounded voice, Youngho smiled meaningfully.
“We should give them a blow as well. Call Chowon, Hosan, Namgung Cheon, and Tang Gunhyeon. Lastly, bring Hwangbo Nyeong.”
“Why are you suddenly saying such a thing…?”
“You and Muyeon are coming too.”
“So what exactly are you saying…?”
“We’re going to Cheonsan. Those will be the only ones accompanying me.”
At this news, which struck like a bolt from the blue, Myeongnyang and Muyeon were horrified. But it did not take long for that shock to turn into sheer disbelief.
And the others who heard the news thought that Youngho—who had already been greatly shocked recently—had finally gone mad.
For a brief time, it was an incident that stirred up the entire Alliance.
And no one could break Youngho’s stubbornness.
Namgung Cheon could not hide his pale, drained complexion. Perhaps it was fortunate that he was not the only one whose face had turned pale.
No—rather, it would have been strange if someone looked normal.
Just like Youngho, who was currently sitting in front of them and enthusiastically devouring dumplings.
Cheonsan was already right in front of them. That meant the Demonic Cult was also right in front of them, and that they had already entered the Demonic Cult’s territory.
So how could he wear such a calm expression? Youngho even showed a satisfied smile, as if the dumplings tasted good, which strangely twisted Namgung Cheon’s mood.
“Try showing a little tension, you damned brat……”
At the serious advice coming from beside him, Youngho replied in an annoyed tone.
“I didn’t even plan to bring Master in the first place. You forced your way here, yet you talk so much.”
“…Kang Hosan.”
“Yes, Alliance Lord.”
“Is there any of the stomach medicine that the Divine Physician of Ten Thousand Hands prepared for me?”
“There’s still plenty left, so please don’t worry. My older brother is best at making stomach medicine.”
Cheonung swallowed the medicine Kang Hosan handed him to soothe his burning stomach.
Youngho shook his head disapprovingly.
“That’s why I asked why you came along.”
“If you lot try to run away, someone needs to act as bait.”
At Cheonung’s calm words, Youngho simply accepted it.
“I told you, there won’t even be a situation where someone has to act as bait.”
“You never know what may happen in the world.”
“Focus now. It seems we’ve arrived at the Demonic Cult.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t feel anyth—!”
The moment Cheonung opened his mouth, everyone there felt it.
They had just stepped into another world.
Muyeon spoke with a trembling voice.
“…We entered a Formation?”
Muyeon seemed greatly shocked that she had not even noticed the Formation.
Youngho glanced at her briefly before speaking.
“It’s the same as when we met the Sword Immortal. This is a sacred relic.”
“A sacred relic of the Demonic Cult?”
Kang Chowon asked in surprise, and Youngho let out a nasal sound.
“Hm… I don’t know exactly either. How many sacred relics has the Demonic Cult stolen from other sects until now? I can’t be sure whether it’s truly their relic or one taken from another sect. And…”
Youngho grinned.
“It seems the Demonic Cult has allowed our visit. This Formation apparently can’t be entered without permission.”
At the shocking statement, Tang Gunhyeon immediately asked,
“Is that true?”
Just as Youngho was about to respond, a sinister and ominous aura suddenly surged from ahead.
It was an energy on a completely different level from ordinary Demonic Energy.
Feeling the powerful presence far beyond that of ordinary Demonic Practitioners, Hwangbo Nyeong muttered as if groaning.
“The Twelve Demons……”
Twelve Demonic Practitioners appeared, each releasing Demonic Energy so overwhelming that it could only be called oppressive.
Everyone except Youngho tensed up.
Tang Gunhyeon frowned at the horrifying fact that the weakest among them was at least his equal.
‘We’ve been had!’
It had been Youngho’s will to step into the tiger’s den, but even so, none of them had imagined they would be discovered by the Demonic Cult like this.
An endless army of Demonic Practitioners and the Twelve Demons.
Even with Youngho here, avoiding total annihilation seemed difficult.
Cheonung—whose experience far exceeded that of the youngsters like Tang Gunhyeon—spoke with a stiff expression.
“Children, run quickly. That large one in the middle is probably my equal.”
The group’s faces stiffened even more.
Their bodies instinctively prepared for battle.
The moment Tang Gunhyeon was about to unleash a Throwing Knife—
The Demonic Practitioners and the Twelve Demons parted, making way for a man.
Seeing him, Youngho sneered mockingly.
“You keep acting like the proxy of a god. Do you think you’ve truly become the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult or something? Demon Brain.”
“At least I am more humble than someone like you who tries to rival Him.”
“Well, the Heavenly Demon is human too. I might rival him.”
“Nonsense!”
With Pungwol’s fierce shout, tens of thousands of Demonic Practitioners—including the Twelve Demons—directed their killing intent solely at Youngho.
It felt as if Mount Tai had fallen from the sky, crushing him with immense pressure.
And so Youngho chuckled softly.
Thud—!
Because Youngho was someone who could easily cut apart something like Mount Tai.
Kwooooooom—!
Youngho’s terrifying martial presence did not falter in the face of tens of thousands.
No—he overwhelmed them.
Even against the killing intent of the Twelve Demons and the countless Demonic Practitioners, Youngho simply replied with a relaxed smile.
“Our leader came here. Shouldn’t you bring your leader too?”
The smile Youngho wore was as vicious as that of an Asura rising from hell.
Pungwol asked in a noticeably hardened voice.
“Sword Exalted, why did you come here alone without troops?”
“I didn’t come alone. I’ve got some excellent companions with me, so cut me some slack.”
“Nonsense.”
“Aw, that hurts. You can’t even move under my mere spirit.”
“That level isn’t even worthy of reaching His toes.”
“Of course not. I’m not even using my full strength.”
Youngho smiled coldly.
“More importantly, I want to see the Heavenly Demon, not someone like you……”
“You will never meet Him. You will die here.”
At that moment, the killing intent of the Demonic Practitioners grew far more ferocious than before.
Savage killing intent poured over Youngho’s entire body.
At the same time, one of the Twelve Demons charged toward him.
The speed was so fast it could only be called lightning.
Namgung Cheon immediately drew his sword, and Tang Gunhyeon tried to launch his Throwing Knife a moment later.
“Hey.”
At that moment, time stopped.
No—more precisely, time slowed for everyone present.
Within that slowly flowing time, Youngho revealed his fierce teeth and spoke with chilling eyes.
“Stop getting ahead of yourselves.”
BOOM—!
A thunderous explosion echoed through the surroundings.
And the member of the Twelve Demons who had been charging at Youngho returned to his original spot faster than light.
No—it wasn’t that he returned.
He had been sent back.
The Twelve Demons member’s face had grotesquely collapsed inward.
Blood flowed from both ears, and his eyeballs were completely crushed.
The injuries were severe enough to cause instant death, but the unique regenerative ability of Demonic Arts barely kept him alive.
The unbelievable scene shocked not only the Demonic Practitioners.
Even the Orthodox figures—and Youngho’s own subordinates who had followed him for a long time—could not hide their astonishment.
Even Cheonung, who prided himself on knowing Youngho’s strength better than anyone except the Heavenly Demon, could hardly believe what he saw.
Youngho had not moved from his spot.
He merely stood there calmly, looking as if he had done nothing at all.
But Pungwol saw it.
The bloodstain on Youngho’s right fist.
Just one punch.
With that single strike, a member of the Twelve Demons had suffered injuries close to death.
From the moment his subordinate charged, Pungwol had expected that at least one limb would be injured or severed.
After all, Youngho was someone acknowledged by Him.
But the existence before him was on a completely different level from ordinary toys.
Despite launching an attack nearly fatal, Youngho showed not the slightest sign of fatigue.
Only those chilling brown eyes filled with killing intent stared at him.
Goosebumps rose.
His instincts felt fear.
Yet he did not flee.
He was a faithful servant of Him.
“Pungwol.”
Youngho simply called his name.
But the emotions contained in that word were unbearably heavy.
Killing intent, hatred, rage—many heavy emotions were embedded within it.
Rumble—!
Suddenly the ground began to tremble.
And as if it were no coincidence, Youngho’s martial presence changed.
The spirit that had been crushing his opponents transformed into sharp blades of killing intent.
It was as if Youngho had manifested the legendary Mind Sword.
Pungwol felt his body trembling.
The Demonic Practitioners began to struggle to breathe under Youngho’s killing intent.
Birds flying in the sky lost their vitality and fell to the ground.
Trees cracked apart under nothing more than invisible energy.
Cheonsan itself was crying under Youngho’s killing intent.
As if begging him to withdraw his power, Cheonsan released a resonating sound.
Pungwol had once seen this phenomenon before.
When the Heavenly Demon—the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult—had unleashed his killing intent in earnest.
A divine might that caused mountains to wail and lifeforms to perish like a calamity.
A presence worthy of being called a god.
And within Youngho, Pungwol glimpsed the Heavenly Demon.