Chapter 76 : Chapter 76
Chapter 076. Arrival of the Demon God (2)
The saying that the sky opens was not a simple metaphor.
CRACK, along with a ripping sound, a huge crack opened in the firmament.
And what was revealed between the cracks was a fluttering pure white hem.
SHIVER-!
The moment Dam Jeok-san saw that hem, he felt a sensation of hair standing on end all over his body and his blood running cold.
He had seen that hem only once, and in an illusion at that, but he could never forget it.
Yin God Cult Leader. The image of the Demon God possessing that terrifying power still remains clearly in Dam Jeok-san's head.
The words he babbled, the breath he exhaled, and even the spirit he emitted, everything.
Especially.
Certain death.
Even that fear of definite death. Everything was the same as then.
'Does he remember me?'
Dam Jeok-san could not know the answer to that question. The Yin God Cult Leader at that time was merely an illusion created by the Dark Guest's thoughts. So normally, it would be impossible for him to know. However, given who the opponent is, nothing can be certain.
It was not only Dam Jeok-san who felt fear.
First of all, the face of Dark Heaven, a Dragonkin whose inspiration was extremely developed, turned white like a sheet of paper.
A skinny hand revealed through the fluttering clothes. Because a powerful force that seemed capable of destroying the world was fluctuating from that hand, which looked like it couldn't even break a single twig.
“I cannot believe it, that this is a state a mere mortal can reach by accumulating power.”
Fear lingered even in the voice of Dark Heaven, the Dragonkin.
“No, you are wrong.”
However, only the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable, who was still aiming her sword at Wi Cheon-rak, shook her head calmly.
The fear of death was not everything.
A formless curtain was blocking her sword. A power incomparable to the flimsy Invulnerability to Swords and Spears used by Wi Cheon-rak. It was definitely originating from that feeble-looking hand.
“That is... not the accumulated power of a mortal. It is the product of fanaticism.”
“Product of fanaticism, may I ask what that is?”
Namgung Gwan, who had approached them before they knew it, asked with shining eyes.
He, who was also called the best swordsman south of the Yangtze by the world, was also trembling slightly at his fingertips.
“It is simple. The slaughter and bizarre rituals performed by the Yin God Cult's lunatic believers all become that monster's accumulated power.”
Un Wol-hyang said in an indifferent voice. Since she frequented the Northern Demonic Realm like her own home, she knew better than anyone about the Yin God Cult hiding there.
“But there is no need to tremble so much.”
She twisted her lips up and continued.
“After all, he seems weaker than Eldest Senior Brother. Isn't that right, Martial Nephew?”
The Northern Heaven Sword Venerable smiled coldly and looked back at Dam Jeok-san.
“...Honestly, yes.”
Dam Jeok-san stared at the hand and nodded slowly.
It is clear they are both existences close to disasters, but superiority exists clearly.
Originally, Dam Jeok-san is not at a level to compare their superiority. But if they are Mount Tai, Seo Woo-joo's realm is close to the sky.
Since absorbing Seo Woo-joo's ego, his vision had clarified.
So he could know for sure.
'Strong, but not as much as Master.'
Oho.
An exclamation escaped Un Wol-hyang's mouth upon hearing Dam Jeok-san's answer.
“You managed to recognize it.”
She continued in a tone that found him praiseworthy.
“I was lucky.”
“It shouldn't be something you can see with luck?”
“Of course, luckily I was able to obtain bright eyes.”
“Well... if you say so, I won't argue further. Did you hear, Namgung Family Head?”
She looked at Namgung Gwan as if saying 'I told you so'.
“You will have to risk your life. But there is no need to be scared in advance.”
“Fear, yes, I think I was scared.”
Namgung Gwan did not bother to retort to the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable's words that scratched his pride.
“My daughter is here, so I couldn't bear to be brave. But seeing you, I think that wasn't the answer.”
Although seen only for a moment.
The bond between the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable and Dam Jeok-san was not an exaggeration to say it was close to that of real blood relatives.
So the Sword Venerable must also be worried about her Martial Nephew. Yet, instead of showing that concern, she replaced it with sending trust to Dam Jeok-san.
“What else can swordsmen like us do. We must fight.”
Namgung Gwan said as if muttering, adjusting his grip on his sword.
Slowly, the sharpness of old times was returning. But at the same time, he realized one fact.
'I can never go back to those days.'
Namgung Gwan had become dull.
WHIRRR! Massive pressure poured from his entire body, dominating the space. Manifestation of the Emperor Sword Form domain.
Not only that.
Dark Heaven and Un Wol-hyang. And Dam Jeok-san and the Monster Repelling Squad following him.
Everyone prepared for battle, overcoming the suffocatingly intense energy emitted by the Cult Leader. The realm of the lowest warriors of the Monster Repelling Squad is at best First Rate.
The death energy emitted by the Yin God Cult Leader is not just simple energy, but powerful enough to drive them to real death.
However, the current Monster Repelling Squad had become a single army, not individual martial artists. So they could lightly suppress the killing intent that originally even First Rate experts couldn't overcome, and prepare for battle.
And at the forefront of that Monster Repelling Squad.
There was Dam Jeok-san holding two swords, Red Cloud and Sky Thunder. Ultra-Peak master. At a glance, he looks infinitely lacking compared to the other three absolute masters.
It was actually true. Dam Jeok-san still can't even chase the toes of the Sword King, Sword Venerable, or Dark Heaven.
But even in that state, Dam Jeok-san has constantly created variables and turned situations around. Miracles originating from his ability of Predation and flashing talent.
Wi Cheon-rak, seeing those lined up to oppose him, spat out a single word.
“Trifling.”
* * *
Before a blowing storm, the number of fallen leaves doesn't matter much.
Before crashing waves, the number of sand grains doesn't matter much.
Before the Cult Leader who reached the realm of a Demon God with a human body, the number of trifling martial artists wasn't very important.
Even if they are Entering Transformation Realm masters called absolute rulers in Murim, nothing changes.
“O, Cult Leader.”
Wi Cheon-rak opened the speech, lightly clasping his hands. An unpleasant voice flowed from his vocal cords as if scratching iron with an awl.
“I offer my life.”
He smiled twistedly and pressed his hands together tight like prayer.
He didn't want to do this. He had no intention of offering everything to the Cult Leader. What he wanted was not glory in the afterlife but prosperity in the present life.
Born as the son of a lowly courtesan, Wi Cheon-rak came across an ancient forbidden art book by chance. A forbidden book recording methods to sacrifice human bodies to accumulate qi in the body and perform wicked arts.
Wi Cheon-rak, whose emotions were dry and desires intense since childhood, carried out the contents of the forbidden book without an inch of hesitation.
First, he cut open his mother's chest, took out the heart, and chewed and swallowed it.
― My fate is like this because I gave birth to a dirty thing like you for no reason...!
First, the retired courtesan who relieved her anger by beating the child she gave birth to by mistake died.
Wi Cheon-rak, who became stronger after swallowing his mother's heart, sacrificed the entire brothel in just three days. The government's investigation began as they sensed something strange, but...
― Will you go with me?
The Yin God Cult Leader, who recognized the child's talent, approached him first.
Establish incomparable achievements, become strong enough to have no equal. And thus reign over the world.
'Just one thing, offer yourself.'
'Then I will give you everything.'
The Cult Leader whispered in the child's ear like that.
Not long after, the child realized the forbidden art book he obtained also came from the Cult Leader's hand.
He had placed the forbidden book in front of him to recognize and test the child with talent for sorcery.
The child met the Cult Leader's expectations, and about 10 years after being taken in, he brutally killed an elder Ultra-Peak master of the Orthodox Factions and offered him as a sacrifice.
'I name you Wi Cheon-rak, so let the pillar of the Cult lead the corruption of the Central Plains and the prosperity of the Cult.'
Only then did the Cult Leader personally give a name to the child who hadn't even received a name from his mother and made him a Cardinal.
“I swore to offer myself to you, but I didn't know the day would come.”
Wi Cheon-rak said looking at the skinny hand flickering through the crack.
“But rather than dying uselessly, wouldn't it be better to kill everyone even if I burn myself?”
[Kukuku, child, that is the Heaven's Mandate given to you.]
The Cult Leader released a thought mixed with laughter as if he couldn't help but be amused.
“Is that so? Did you foresee this moment from the beginning?”
Wi Cheon-rak asked in an agitated voice.
[That is not it... For This Seat is also not omnipotent.]
“.......”
[However, if you ask if I didn't know, that is also not true.]
The starting point was when the Dark Guest died and was eaten by Dam Jeok-san.
[One cheeky child was disturbing the heavenly secrets.]
The Cult Leader, the head of those discussing defying heaven, speaks of heavenly secrets.
“Do you mean that thing?”
Wi Cheon-rak said, glancing at Dam Jeok-san, the swordsman standing at the head of the Monster Repelling Squad.
[Yes, a covetable spirit and body.]
The Cult Leader trembled his fingertips, venting emotion. A thought trembling as if unable to hide ecstasy.
The Cult Leader is a sorcerer hard to find a better one even throughout all ages. A supernatural being capable of observing all creation and communicating with old things beyond it.
But even such a Cult Leader couldn't gauge exactly what Dam Jeok-san possessed. It was hesitant to provoke the current Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle, that monster, but it was too covetable a prey to miss for just that reason.
[Kill everyone except that guy...]
With those words, the Cult Leader began to spew out pure white demonic energy in chunks from his hand.
It is an intense energy strong enough to not just twist space but twist the providence of the present world itself. A power unbelievably strong even though his ability must have been degraded significantly compared to his true body since only a hand crossed over through the crack.
“Ah...”
Wi Cheon-rak couldn't hide his ecstasy even though he knew the price he had to pay.
“I offer my life and death, and failure and success, my everything to you.”
Wi Cheon-rak said, pulling up the corners of his mouth bizarrely. He was originally a person whose own desire was everything, but he thought that didn't matter if he could obtain that ecstatically strong demonic energy.
That is the source by which the Cult Leader receives fanaticism and blind obedience from the believers.
[I trust you.]
Ending with that thought wave.
The essence of the pure white demonic energy pierced Wi Cheon-rak's heart like a sword, SQUELCH.
TREMBLE.
Wi Cheon-rak's body, stabbed by the sword of demonic energy, trembled as if struck by lightning.
Unhideable joy and pleasure raged in his pitch-black pupils, and monstrous power capable of destroying the world hung over his whole body.
BOOM!
The moment Wi Cheon-rak stamped his foot lightly, the desert sand rippled wildly as if a localized earthquake occurred.
As if in step with him.
“Ku, kukukukukuku...!”
The Sword Ghost also began to rush towards the Sword King, emitting a strange light from his eyes.
Contrary to being pushed back repeatedly before because he lost his reason, he was actually pushing the Sword King back.
“Let's end this.”
Wi Cheon-rak said to the Sword Venerable and Dam Jeok-san, raising demonic energy easily tens of times stronger than before.
As if sentencing capital punishment.