Chapter 162 : Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens
Chapter 162: Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens
Thus, the eyes of the Honor Corps martial artists who had entered the Cheonghae Region soon caught sight of a guesthouse in the distance, bustling with patients.
“To think such filthy Demonic Cult spawn would feed those worthless wretches!”
At the words of One-Finger Line Sword Jongyang, people nodded their heads in agreement.
Glancing once over them, First-Flowing Sword spoke.
“First, let us recover the internal energy we expended circulating our energy. It will begin in one shijin, so make your preparations.”
At the words of First-Flowing Sword, those who had been scattered about entered energy circulation and breathing regulation.
First-Flowing Sword watched them with a gentle gaze.
However, the light shining within those gentle eyes was as cold as a serpent.
It was absolutely not the gaze of a man who claimed to have made righteousness the guiding principle of his entire life while looking at fellow comrades of the Hundred Paths.
Yet no one among the Honor Corps noticed that gaze of his.
The chilling light in his eyes disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
Thus, as time passed and one shijin went by,
those who had been scattered around gathered again after finishing their energy circulation.
Looking over them, First-Flowing Sword spoke.
“This is the beginning of the battle to restore the spirit and honor of the Hundred Paths. Do not fear death. For honor!”
“For honor!”
To those who shouted in unison with his slogan, First-Flowing Sword said briefly,
“Let us go!”
Following the figure of First-Flowing Sword as he leapt forward, dozens of Righteous Will Heroes and around a dozen Younger Generation Talents of the Namgung Clan shot forward as well.
As Yul Han headed toward the Cult Leader’s residence for morning training, joy filled his eyes.
It was because Blood Wolf—Yellowie, who had not been seen for a long time—had appeared, wandering about.
“You rascal, where have you been all this time?”
As Yul Han approached happily, his eyes widened.
Trailing behind Blood Wolf were a whole cluster of wriggling pups.
At the end of them stood a female, full of vigilance as if afraid the pups might be harmed.
“What? Did you have pups?”
When Yul Han laughed and stroked its neck, Blood Wolf let out a soft purring growl.
But that joy lasted only a moment.
Yul Han noticed Blood Wolf repeatedly turning its head toward the mountain behind the residence and asked,
“What is it? Did you leave a pup on the mountain? Why do you keep looking over there?”
Even after hearing his words, Blood Wolf kept turning its head toward the mountain.
It almost looked as if it wanted Yul Han to go and see.
In the end, Yul Han began walking toward the mountain.
Because the Bright Cult had been built leaning against the Heavenly Mountains, the entire rear side was a cliff.
However, in one place—behind the Vice Cult Leader’s residence—there was a small forest.
Of course, beyond that forest, just like the other rear sides, stood the sheer cliff of the Heavenly Mountains.
In other words, the Main Fortress of the Bright Cult had been built leaning against the cliffs of the Heavenly Mountains.
Well, it made sense. If one wanted protection from the rear, there was no choice but to select such terrain.
As Yul Han entered that forest, his perceptive sense caught a faint aura.
The fact that he had not sensed it at all before entering the forest made Yul Han’s expression stiffen.
Slowly walking toward where the aura came from, Yul Han soon came face to face with a woman dressed in pure white martial robes.
When she saw Yul Han, she smiled brightly.
“So you are the Number One Under Heaven of this era.”
“Who… are you?”
“I am a Reception Envoy.”
“Reception Envoy?”
“I am in charge of welcoming new members into the Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens.”
“The Assembly of the Beyond-Heavens?”
Hearing a name he had never heard before, Yul Han showed confusion.
The woman answered.
“You could call it a gathering of those who are the greatest under heaven. A gathering of transcendent beings who have seen through the world.”
“I have never heard of such a place.”
“It exists yet does not reveal itself, reigns yet does not rule, teaches the path yet does not govern.”
“What in the world are you talking about?”
“I am saying that beyond this world exists another world. A place that adjusts everything you have seen in the world and guides it so it proceeds along the proper path.”
Though her words sounded grand, in the end she meant they were people hiding in the shadows while exerting influence over the world.
Yul Han despised such people. That feeling naturally seeped into his words.
“I have never seen good people among those who cannot stand openly in the light.”
“If I had heard such words a year ago, I would have dismissed them as nonsense. But now, I cannot.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that your words are correct. Because we worked while hiding, some developed filthy hearts. And you are one of their creations.”
“You keep speaking nonsense I cannot understand. Speak so that I can understand!”
“You must have many questions, but unfortunately there is no time today. Go immediately to the Poison Demon in the Cheonghae Region. He is in danger.”
There were mountains of things he wanted to ask, beginning with her identity.
Especially the words she had spoken about him weighed heavily on his mind.
But none of those questions were more important than those he had to protect.
After glaring at the woman for a moment, Yul Han’s figure vanished.
He dashed toward the guesthouse where the Poison Demon was staying.
As soon as Yul Han disappeared, a Daoist with a pure and gentle appearance tore open the air and appeared beside the woman.
“Do you really think that fellow can resolve it?”
At the Daoist’s question, the woman who had introduced herself as the Reception Envoy nodded.
“He is the only one with the ability to stop Pangu’s Reversal.”
“That means he surpasses the Three Dukes, yet to me he looks quite lacking.”
“Things are not always as they appear.”
At the woman’s reply, the pure-faced Daoist made a displeased expression.
“That habit of yours—never giving a straight answer and always speaking in circles—seems unchanged.”
“It cannot be helped. It is my nature.”
Seeing the Reception Envoy smiling faintly, the Daoist with the gentle appearance clicked his tongue lightly.
“Shouldn’t we go and watch instead of standing around here?”
“We should. Shall we go?”
The moment those words ended, both the Reception Envoy and the Daoist vanished.
No one remained in the forest.
The Honor Corps was confident in their abilities.
After all, among them were even two masters in the Transcendent Realm.
There was a reason people said the true strength of the Hundred Paths came from reclusive hidden experts and Righteous Will Heroes living freely in the mountains.
It was because people like these—who had never gained a name nor belonged to any power—trained quietly and suddenly appeared, already at the Transcendent Realm or even the Manifestation Realm.
Because such figures led the charge, the Poison Demon’s disciples and subordinates were slaughtered in an instant.
From the moment they vaulted over the wall to the moment they confronted the Poison Demon after cutting down dozens of Bright Cult martial artists, barely half a gak had passed.
The battle had been completely one-sided.
It was so swift that when patients and their guardians opened their doors at the commotion, what they saw were physicians lying dead.
In other words, the attackers had rushed in and ended everything in an instant.
The patients and their guardians watched in silence as the Poison Demon faced those mysterious assailants.
The one standing before the Poison Demon was unexpectedly not First-Flowing Sword.
Contrary to expectations, First-Flowing Sword did not step forward.
Instead, One-Finger Line Sword Jongyang—who had reached the Transcendent Realm—led the vanguard.
Naturally, he stood at the very front confronting the Poison Demon.
Questions like “Who are you?” were unnecessary for the Poison Demon.
Among the attackers fluttered the banner of the Namgung Clan.
Seeing it, the Poison Demon clenched his teeth.
“You shameless bastards who repay kindness with enmity!”
Only now did he understand why the Vice Cult Leader had told him never to repay kindness with hatred.
They did not even feel like human beings.
Even so, the Poison Demon did not strike first.
The aura emanating from the man blocking his path was not inferior to his own.
Moreover, from the man standing a step behind, he felt an even greater aura.
‘Damn it! I should have trained like a madman like the others!’
He had been thrilled.
Because the professional medical hall he had long dreamed of could now be cultivated within the Bright Cult.
That was more important and more precious to him than cultivation or raising his own realm.
The problem was that he now had the feeling that he might no longer be able to continue that precious opportunity.
Judging by the opponents’ auras, he—the Poison Demon—would absolutely not survive.
But he had no intention of shrinking back and offering his neck obediently.
Slowly exhaling, the Poison Demon assumed his stance.
It was the initiating stance of the Yin Phantom Poison Palm—the art that had made him one of the Five Demons and one of the three greatest poison masters under heaven.
Once unleashed, the Yin Phantom Poison would spread without any antidote.
Touch it and death was certain. Even brushing against it meant poisoning.
Toward such a Poison Demon, One-Finger Line Sword thrust out his sword.
Whoooosh!
Along the blade, Sword Force Energy flared violently like blazing flames, filled with fierce heat.
It was the extreme-yang heat of the One-Yang Divine Art—One-Finger Line Sword’s exclusive internal energy.
From the Poison Demon’s perspective, the compatibility was terrible.
Fire was the nemesis of all poisons.
Even so, the Poison Demon charged forward without hesitation.
If he hesitated due to disadvantage, he would not be a martial artist of the Bright Cult.
A battle that shook heaven and earth erupted.
Nearby trees blackened and died, and buildings whose pillars were severed collapsed.
Yet as the fierce battle continued, the momentum of One-Finger Line Sword gradually deepened.
Even with extreme-yang internal energy suppressing poison, he was being pushed back by the Poison Demon’s Yin Phantom Poison Palm.
Especially since the back of his neck was gradually turning purple—it seemed he had already been poisoned.
Finally, First-Flowing Sword stepped in.
Clang!
Though the sword forged of steel collided with a human palm, the sound of metal rang out.
At first glance it looked as if the Poison Demon was holding his ground well, but in truth he was being pushed back.
The sword of First-Flowing Sword had suddenly entered the battle so swiftly that merely blocking it was overwhelming.
The Poison Demon gritted his teeth.
A man whose aura far surpassed his own had finally intervened.
‘Even if I die, I won’t die quietly!’
Suddenly, the Poison Demon’s figure was enveloped in dense darkness.
It was not darkness magic like that of the Ghost Demon.
The black mass swirling around him was entirely poison.
No less than two thousand types of poisonous aura erupted from the Poison Demon’s body, wrapping around him like Protective Force Energy.
In that state, his attack resumed.
Like a suicidal charge, the Poison Demon rushed forward ferociously.
First-Flowing Sword watched him silently before swinging his blade through the air.
The sword tip cut through the poisonous aura with ease as it advanced.
Seeing it, the Poison Demon fell into despair.
‘It’s over!’
At the very moment he sensed his death—
Clang!
With a powerful collision, Yul Han appeared.
While the Poison Demon stared in shock at Yul Han’s unexpected arrival, First-Flowing Sword gave his command.
“What are you waiting for! They are dogs of the Demonic Cult. Kill them all!”
The moment the order fell, the Honor Corps martial artists who had paused began attacking the people inside the guesthouse who were there for treatment.
In the eyes of these hardliners of the Hundred Paths, the Bright Cult martial artists and the ordinary people receiving their help were all spawn of the Demonic Cult.
Seeing their actions, Yul Han’s gaze turned cold.
And then—
Crackle.
Lightning energy erupted from the Lightning Cloud Blade that had already been drawn into Yul Han’s left hand.
Seeing the Lightning Cloud Blade, ecstasy flashed through First-Flowing Sword’s eyes.
“You bastard! That is not something the likes of you should possess!”
Shouting furiously, First-Flowing Sword charged forward, greed impossible to hide in his eyes.
Facing him, Yul Han met the attack with the Sun-Moon Sword.