Chapter 800: I Hope the Greatest Star in History Comes |
Black Elder hid himself within the darkness to buy time.
A two-against-one fight, there was no reason to force such an unfavorable battle.
If Dark Elder finished off Demonic Buddha and returned, the situation would turn in their favor.
If the two of them concentrated their attacks and eliminated Soul Reaper Demon Supreme first, then summoned the Nine Springs Corpse King with Nine Springs Descent Art, it would become three against one.
They would be able to tear that detestable drunkard to pieces.
But the problem was that Dark Elder’s fight was dragging on.
What are you doing, unable to kill a single bald monk? Hurry up and get here!
The only consolation was that it was nearly impossible to locate him while using Dark Shadow Stealth Art.
Black Elder had always been confident of that.
Soul Reaper Demon Supreme’s Dark Night Opening Eye activated.
The eye-shaped engraving on Drunken Demon’s dagger snapped open.
Its pupil jerked wildly as it searched through the darkness.
The grotesque eyeball darted back and forth.
Then it stopped.
Without hesitation, Drunken Demon lunged toward that spot.
Shiiiiiing.
His dagger slashed through the air.
Blood sprayed through the drifting black mist, and for a brief instant Black Elder’s shocked face appeared.
Black Elder immediately disappeared again using Dark Shadow Stealth Art.
But the eye spun again.
Left.
Right.
Then locked onto another point.
Drunken Demon charged.
Shhk! Shiiik! Shhk!
This time, he stabbed repeatedly instead of slashing.
Faster.
More precise.
Paat!
Blood burst from the air again.
More than before.
Because he could not maintain Protective Energy while using Dark Shadow Stealth Art, Black Elder was finally forced to reveal himself.
His stealth technique could not evade Dark Night Opening Eye.
Black Elder glanced down at the wounds across his body.
Blood ran down his robes.
“You son of a bitch!”
Drunken Demon staggered toward him with a drunken grin.
“When you’re drunk… you’re a dog. A dog.”
Suddenly,
Black Elder struck with his palm.
Swaaaak! Swaak!
Drunken Demon swayed drunkenly and dodged.
He looked too intoxicated to evade such a swift ambush.
Yet somehow he avoided every strike.
Then,
Drunken Demon shrieked and lunged forward in a completely unpredictable charge.
Black Elder hurriedly summoned skeletons.
“Keugh!”
Blood spilled from his mouth.
He had forced Nine Springs Descent Art too quickly and suffered internal injuries.
Drunken Demon smashed the skeletons apart.
Kkwaajik! Kkwaajik!
He punched them.
Rammed them.
Even when skeletons grabbed him or slashed with swords, he shook them off and continued advancing.
“You lunatic!”
Black Elder was no stranger to brutal combat.
But he had never faced someone like this.
Drunken Demon pressed forward without hesitation.
He did not know how the battle between Demonic Buddha and Dark Elder had ended.
So he had to finish quickly.
To Black Elder, it looked like a reckless charge that saw nothing but its prey.
Swaaaaaak.
Black Elder hurled a palm strike toward Drunken Demon’s face.
Boom.
The palm force dissipated midair.
Behind Drunken Demon,
Soul Reaper Demon Supreme had intercepted it.
Black Elder roared in fury.
“You damned bastards!”
Drunken Demon broke through the skeletons and lunged forward, laughing like a madman.
Shiiik.
Black Elder grabbed the arm holding the dagger.
The two locked arms in a contest of strength.
Thud! Thud!
Skeletons struck Drunken Demon’s back.
But he ignored the pain and kept pushing forward.
Looking into Drunken Demon’s bloodshot eyes,
Black Elder felt fear for the first time.
If not for the Greed Annihilation Art, he might already have been overwhelmed.
Then,
BOOOOM!
Soul Reaper Demon Supreme’s palm force struck his face.
If he had not raised his protective energy at the last moment, his entire head would have exploded.
“You cowardly, ”
THUD!
Drunken Demon smashed his forehead forward.
A brutal headbutt.
Black Elder’s mind reeled.
Coordinated attacks.
Headbutts.
Thud! Thud!
His nose bone shattered.
Blood flooded down his throat.
But he had no time to recover.
He tried desperately to find an opening.
But their savage fighting style allowed none.
If they had shown arrogance,
If they had paused to boast,
He might have found a chance.
But they gave him nothing.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The moment his grip weakened,
Drunken Demon tore free.
His dagger flashed.
Stab! Stab! Stab!
The blade plunged repeatedly into Black Elder’s heart.
His body collapsed.
But suddenly,
Drunken Demon spun around.
“Watch out!”
The body he stabbed dissolved into black smoke.
The real Black Elder had already appeared behind the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress.
Just before death, he had used his last inner energy.
Dark Shadow Shell Shedding Art.
Black Elder grabbed the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress by the throat.
“Take one step and her neck snaps.”
He would hold her hostage until Dark Elder returned.
A two-against-one fight was impossible.
He regretted not doing this earlier.
Then,
Black Elder froze.
The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress was standing ahead of him.
Looking straight at him.
Then,
Who was he holding?
BOOM!
A violent explosion erupted.
His abdomen felt hollow.
Something poured out.
He looked down.
A massive hole had been blasted through his stomach.
The woman in his grasp turned around.
It was not the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress.
It was Soul Reaper Demon Supreme.
“…How?”
During the chaotic clash,
She had used Soul Reaping Art on him.
Normally it would not work.
But his injuries and dazed state had made him vulnerable.
Black Elder tried to curse.
But the Demon Supremes gave him no chance.
Flash.
Kkwajijijik.
A thin streak of energy descended.
Like a man quietly drinking alone.
Drunken Demon’s exclusive martial art,
Wine God Arts.
Second Cup,
Wine God’s Poisoned Brew.
The energy pierced his crown.
His body shattered completely.
Black Elder died without leaving even a trace.
He had vowed not to leave so much as an eyeball behind,
Yet in the end, nothing of him remained.
Soul Reaper Demon Supreme turned to the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes… I am fine. Thanks to you.”
She bowed deeply.
“I will never forget this debt.”
Soul Reaper Demon Supreme shook her head.
“I only followed the Young Cult Leader’s orders.”
Then,
Hwaaaaaak.
A golden palm imprint appeared briefly in the air before fading.
“That’s Demonic Buddha’s Demon Palm.”
The three watched tensely.
Moments later,
Demonic Buddha appeared.
Dark Elder’s shattered corpse lay nearby.
“You’ve worked hard,” Drunken Demon said.
Demonic Buddha looked at Black Elder’s remains.
“He must have angered you greatly.”
“Quite the opposite. We were the ones who lost our tempers.”
Demonic Buddha smiled.
“Well done.”
Now both of the Dark Palace Master’s arms, Black Elder and Dark Elder, were dead.
Demonic Buddha examined the dark mist around them.
“The aura of Greed Annihilation Art has not weakened.”
Dark Elder had already been difficult while empowered by it.
If the Dark Palace Master grew even stronger with this energy,
The coming battle would be far more dangerous.
“This is no time to celebrate.”
“Let’s go to the Young Cult Leader.”
Demonic Buddha stepped forward.
Soul Reaper Demon Supreme and the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress followed.
Drunken Demon walked behind them.
Little brother… I saved your last drink.
---
Five men left the main division of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Geom Woojin led the way.
At his sides were Fist Demon King and Poison King.
At the edges walked Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and Sword King.
If Geom Mugeuk had seen this sight,
He would surely have said:
“Father, you’ve grown the strongest wings in the world!”
The four men followed the Heavenly Demon silently.
They entered Maga Village.
The village that had once bustled with life was now empty.
Geom Woojin stopped in the road and looked ahead.
No one could guess what he was thinking.
The tension was immense.
No one spoke.
Except one man.
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.
He finally broke the silence.
“Whenever I come to Maga Village, I think of the Young Cult Leader.”
Geom Woojin replied calmly.
“You suffered much because of my son.”
Instead of denying it, Heavenly Wind Cult Leader waved his hands.
“Oh, don’t even mention it. Your son nearly drove me mad. I wondered what sin I committed in my past life.”
A faint smile appeared on everyone’s face.
Geom Mugeuk was the only man who could make them smile just by being remembered.
“But now I’m grateful to him.”
“If he hadn’t stirred my insides and shaken my world…”
“I would still be living miserably.”
Staring at the Divine Relic every day.
Keeping Gowol chained.
His eyes deepened.
“Thanks to him, I’ve been happy lately.”
He looked at Geom Woojin.
“You raised your son well.”
Geom Woojin answered calmly.
“It is thanks to you treating him kindly.”
Silence fell again.
Eventually Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke once more.
“If that fellow really appears…”
“This Heavenly Killing Star will be the most unlucky one in history.”
Everyone nodded.
Except the Sword King.
“That may not necessarily be true.”
“Why?” Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked.
“Because of the Young Cult Leader.”
Sword King continued.
“What if someone like him was born to stop the Heavenly Killing Star?”
“What if heaven balanced itself with him?”
“Then this Heavenly Killing Star may become the greatest star in history.”
The words were chilling.
Geom Mugeuk was already extraordinary.
If fate created a counterbalance,
Then that enemy would be terrifying.
Geom Woojin finally spoke.
“If that is true…”
“I will eliminate that Heavenly Killing Star myself.”
His voice carried absolute resolve.
He was speaking not as the Heavenly Demon,
But as a father.
“If that is true…”
“Then I hope the greatest star in history comes.”
If fate had balanced itself,
Then the stronger the Heavenly Killing Star,
The greater his son would become.
Fist Demon King realized something then.
Many people had changed because of Geom Mugeuk.
But the one who had changed most,
Was Geom Woojin.
Outwardly he seemed unchanged.
But inside,
He had changed more than anyone.
“When a baleful star sets,” Fist Demon King said,
“A brighter star will rise.”
Geom Woojin nodded.
Their gazes met.
Let us not burden Mugeuk.
We will kill it ourselves.
This was not the exchange of a Cult Leader and Demon Supreme.
But of a father and a master.
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader suddenly spoke cheerfully.
“While his father is working so hard…”
“Where do you think the Young Cult Leader is?”
Sword King answered calmly.
“Young Cult Leader…”
“Is probably somewhere…”
“…bursting someone’s insides again.”
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