Chapter 330: Heavenly Demon (1) |
A man in a black robe, hovering in mid-air, his body wreathed in wind, looked down at the scene below.
He appeared to be in his thirties, but the current Heavenly Demon had already been active thirty years ago.
‘For a monster like him to appear personally…’
Everyone froze, their bodies stiffening.
Master Wu Jin, the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple, was a Mysterious Realm expert, one of the strongest in the righteous Murim.
And he had been defeated by the Heavenly Demon…
“…Hahaha. It seems this old body is no longer what it used to be. My skills have dulled with age.”
But then, a figure emerged from the rubble of the collapsed temple, his body covered in dust.
An old monk, his clothes torn and tattered.
“But you seem to have grown stronger, Heavenly Demon. Have you been… supplementing your diet?”
“Hmph, indeed. I’ve consumed something… quite exquisite. I feel invigorated. I can share it with you, if you wish.”
“Amitabha, I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. As a follower of the Buddha, I cannot resort to such… unorthodox methods.”
“That’s a shame. You seem qualified. Let me know if you change your mind.”
Their tone was friendly, almost casual, but no one in the room was fooled.
Each word, each subtle inflection, was laced with a chilling undercurrent of tension, like walking a tightrope over a pit of vipers.
The Heavenly Demon, seemingly enjoying the tense atmosphere, smirked and surveyed the surroundings, his gaze arrogant and dismissive.
This was his grand debut, the first public appearance of the Demonic Cult after a long period of hiding.
He was pleased with the results.
‘This is inevitable. There’s no one left in this world who can oppose the Cult…’
But his smile didn’t last long.
His arrogant expression, once so relaxed and confident, suddenly hardened as his gaze swept across the crowd, lingering on the fear and tension in the eyes of the righteous warriors.
“…Who are you?”
His voice, cold and sharp, echoed through the air, silencing the room.
The others, their nerves on edge, raised their weapons, but the Heavenly Demon’s gaze remained fixed on a single target.
‘I knew it. I was extra careful this time, but it still wasn’t enough.’
Hugo, subtly averting his gaze, his face pale and covered in sweat.
Of course, the Heavenly Demon didn't care about his attempts to hide.
“Why— Why are you still here?”
A single question, filled with an unknown emotion.
And it wasn’t just a question.
‘Ugh, this is…!’
He could feel it.
A gaze, a presence, so intense it made the air around him heavy and oppressive, his senses malfunctioning.
His perception of distance was distorted, his sense of balance faltered, and his thoughts stuttered and fragmented.
He wasn’t losing consciousness, as his mind wasn’t limited to a single avatar… but he had lost control of his body.
‘…So this is the Heavenly Demon’s power. At this level…’
Now he understood why even Master Wu Jin, a Mysterious Realm expert, had been so easily defeated.
There was nothing he, a mere Master Realm martial artist, could do.
He could only hope for mercy.
As he considered using ‘Dismiss’,
“Gasp—!”
…A wave of fresh air suddenly filled his lungs, and his senses, which had been malfunctioning, began to recover.
He realized he hadn't been breathing.
‘…That was terrifying. He didn’t even use any special techniques. Just his will alone was enough to cripple me. And I’m not even a weakling.’
He looked up, gasping for breath, and saw the fluttering robes of a monk standing before him.
Master Wu Jin, the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple, who had been some distance away just moments ago, was now shielding him.
“Hahaha, Heavenly Demon, you’re being too harsh on a junior.”
“Step aside.”
“Amitabha, are you really going to do this? This isn’t beneficial for either of us.”
“I don’t have time for this.”
The Heavenly Demon’s cold expression twisted slightly.
Hugo’s presence seemed to be more significant to him than he had anticipated. His reaction was much more volatile than during his initial appearance.
“Demon Subduer.”
“The Heavenly Demon descends, all shall submit! Demon Subduer, Black Monk Jang Cheol-ik, reporting for duty!”
Clang!
A massive, dark-skinned man, his body wrapped in black chains, stepped forward and prostrated himself, his chains clanging loudly.
He was one of the Demonic Cult warriors who had been surrounding them.
“Make sure no one escapes. Especially that one. I have questions for him. Leave his ears and mouth intact.”
“As you command!”
The Heavenly Demon, having given his orders to his subordinate, a Master Realm expert, grinned at Hugo, who was still hiding behind Master Wu Jin.
It was a chilling smile, filled with a heavy, ominous mockery.
‘…This is bad.’
Hugo, now the center of attention, smiled awkwardly as he felt the gazes of the Demonic Cult warriors and the righteous martial artists converging on him.
He enjoyed attention, but not this kind of… unwanted obsession.
‘It can’t be helped.’
He sighed softly, tightening his grip on his sword, preparing for the inevitable.
____________________
Near the Shaolin Temple’s main gate.
Clang!
Sword Saint Namgung Woo frowned, glaring at the one-eyed old man he was facing.
A black sword, engraved with a demonic visage, clashed with his own, its power matching his own despite its sinister appearance.
Its wielder was Demon Sword Master Yeo Mun-cheol, one of the Heavenly Demon Cult’s Guardians, a Mysterious Realm expert who had been active during the same era as him.
“Hahaha, you’ve gotten old, Namgung Woo. Is this all you’ve got?”
“Hmph, it wasn’t that long ago when you lost an eye and ran away with your tail between your legs, Yeo Mun-cheol. And now you’re acting all high and mighty with your ill-gotten power.”
“Kuhut, that’s rich, coming from someone who grew up on a diet of elixirs.”
“You demon! Don’t compare elixirs to the life force of innocent people!”
“What’s the difference? They’re both external sources of power.”
Clang—
They had clashed several times in the past, their skills and levels similar, their weapons both swords.
Namgung Woo had emerged victorious, taking Yeo Mun-cheol’s eye…
But their current rematch was different.
‘He’s come prepared.’
The Sword Saint’s expression hardened as he felt the heavy resistance from his opponent’s sword.
Master Wu Jin was currently holding off the Heavenly Demon, but he knew it wouldn’t last.
He had felt the Demon’s overwhelming aura himself.
He couldn’t ignore Demon Sword Master Yeo Mun-cheol either, so his plan was to quickly defeat him and then join Master Wu Jin…
“Your mind is wandering, Namgung Woo. Are you still that careless?”
“Ugh!”
…But his opponent was stronger than he had anticipated.
He couldn't afford to be distracted.
If he wasn't careful, he might be the one defeated this time.
He gritted his teeth, his mind racing.
He was worried about the others, but his grandchildren, who had come all this way trusting him…
He couldn't let them down.
“Kuhut— Your focus is wavering, Namgung Woo. How about I take your other eye?”
As the battle intensified, the Sword Saint’s movements became increasingly erratic.
He couldn't fight properly while distracted.
And as he faltered, his opponent’s advantage grew.
“Oops, excuse me—!”
And then,
An unexpected guest barged into their fight.
“······!”
“What?!”
They were Mysterious Realm experts, their senses sharp.
They reacted instantly to the intruder’s sudden appearance, their bodies moving instinctively.
The Sword Saint retreated, his stance defensive, assessing the situation, while Demon Sword Master Yeo Mun-cheol unleashed a sharp Ki blast, intending to eliminate the intruder.
“Whoa! What the—?! Attacking someone without warning?!”
But that ruthless attack only served to annoy the newcomer, who had simply been trying to pass through.
As a great warrior, he couldn't just ignore such indiscriminate violence!
Rumble—
He didn’t use any special techniques.
He simply clenched his fist and punched the incoming attack.
And that was more than enough.
Kaboom—!
“Ugh?!”
Yeo Mun-cheol’s face contorted in pain as an overwhelming force traveled through his sword, into his hand, and up his arm.
He stumbled back, his internal energy disrupted by the unexpected impact.
‘What monstrous strength! I barely managed to deflect it…!’
He adjusted his grip on his sword, preparing for a follow-up attack…
…but the newcomer just glanced at him, then looked away.
He had dealt with the annoyance, but he had other priorities.
“Sorry to interrupt! I’ll be going now, so don’t mind me and continue your… fight!”
“Is that old man the Sword Saint? Then his opponent… One-eyed, with a black demonic sword… Demon Sword Master? And inside…”
“Hey, buddy! Are you coming or what?!”
He grabbed the arm of the man who had been muttering to himself and, with a casual wave towards the two elderly men who were now warily observing him, turned and left.
As if he had just been passing through.
“…What was that?”
“…”
But neither the Sword Saint nor Demon Sword Master Yeo Mun-cheol could move.
Despite his comical appearance, the stranger’s power was undeniable. Engaging him would create openings, and their current opponents wouldn't hesitate to exploit them.
‘Who is he? I’ve never heard of such a… monstrous figure.’
The Sword Saint, unaware of the new Mad Demon, frowned in confusion.
He could tell the newcomer wasn't affiliated with the Demonic Cult, judging by Yeo Mun-cheol's reaction… but his level was too high for someone who had just appeared out of nowhere.
But Yeo Mun-cheol’s thoughts were different.
‘…Mad Demon and the imposter. What are they doing here? The Strategist said he would take care of it…’
He had heard about the incident, but hadn’t paid much attention. It had seemed like a trivial matter compared to their upcoming operation.
‘Why did they come here? They’re not involved with the righteous factions.’
The original Mad Demon was a rogue element, unaffiliated with any faction, his actions leaning towards the evil side.
And the imposter seemed to be similar…
But they didn't have time to dwell on it.
They quickly composed themselves, dismissing the distracting thoughts, and stared at each other.
And then—.
Clang—! Cling! Kaboom—!
The brief respite ended, and the battle resumed with renewed intensity.
Their current priority was defeating their opponent.