Fist Demon of Mount Hua ( Novel ) - Chapter 231
Chapter 231 – Even a carefully built tower can collapse in an instant (3)
Read it only at Utoon.net!
https://discord.com/invite/s4Srag3ej2
The Shouzhou branch was no longer part of the Murim Alliance. It had now become a branch of the Demonic Cult.
The warriors of the Demonic Cult proudly entered the Shouzhou branch.
Although several days had passed since the fierce battle ended, traces of that day remained intact in the Shouzhou branch.
Collapsed and burned pavilions. Half-crumbled walls, and black bloodstains remaining on the walls and floors. Although all the corpses had been removed, the strong scent of blood still lingered in the air. Because of this, the Demonic Cult warriors entering the Shouzhou branch had to cover their noses.
When people think of the Demonic Cult, they often imagine blood-thirsty madmen, but they were just the same as other people. It’s just that their religion was unconventional, and because they were ostracized by the world, they became more aggressive.
There was a man muttering while looking at the collapsed pavilion.
“Tch! In the end, did we just take over an empty shell after all the important ones fled?”
The blood-colored warrior with three swords on his back was none other than Deung Cheon-so.
Although several days had passed since the battle ended, his face was still filled with killing intent. His appearance was so fierce that even fellow Demonic Cult warriors didn’t dare approach him.
Dam-ho, whom he had targeted, was not there, and he hadn’t even met Hyeon Geom. He had taken out his frustration on other warriors, but it didn’t improve his mood.
At that moment, someone cautiously approached Deung Cheon-so.
“Elder Deung.”
“Who are you?”
“I am Lee So-gwang from the Military Department.”
“Military Department?”
Deung Cheon-so frowned as he looked at the man who identified himself as Lee So-gwang.
The Military Department was an organization led by Military Commander Sang Han-cheon. Everything about it, including its members, was shrouded in secrecy, and no one except the Cult Leader and Sang Han-cheon knew its true nature.
This was true even for Deung Cheon-so, who was one of the Seven Great Demon Masters. So whenever he heard the words “Military Department,” he automatically felt uneasy.
“What’s the matter?”
“The Military Commander has summoned all the leaders. He asked me to bring you as well, Elder Deung.”
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
Although Deung Cheon-so didn’t like Lee So-gwang’s answer, he couldn’t refuse the Military Commander’s order.
“Lead the way.”
“Yes!”
Lee So-gwang walked in front, and Deung Cheon-so followed.
The place they arrived at was the largest hall in the Shouzhou branch. This place, where the leaders of the Murim Alliance used to hold meetings, was now being used by the Demonic Cult.
“What on earth…”
Deung Cheon-so, who was about to raise his voice as soon as he entered, closed his mouth. The atmosphere inside was clearly not normal.
Inside were Military Commander Sang Han-cheon, Jin Hye-won and Dan Ho-sang, who were also part of the Seven Great Demon Masters along with Deung Cheon-so. They were tightly pursing their lips and looking at the center of the room.
Naturally, Deung Cheon-so’s gaze also turned to where they were looking. In the center of the room, on a large table, was a long object covered with a white cloth.
Deung Cheon-so asked Sang Han-cheon:
“What is this?”
“See for yourself.”
At Sang Han-cheon’s answer, Deung Cheon-so lifted the white cloth. At that moment, his complexion also hardened.
“Jo… Ja-gyeong.”
The corpse covered by the white cloth was Jo Ja-gyeong, the leader of the Thousand Heaven Squad, whom he knew well.
“So Jo Ja-gyeong died too?”
Deung Cheon-so’s eyes sank deeply.
Jo Ja-gyeong, the leader of the Thousand Heaven Squad, was a man with exceptional martial power among young warriors of his age.
Although the Four Great Military Commanders and the Seven Great Demon Masters were currently leading the Demonic Cult, everyone believed that as time passed, the central axis would naturally shift to young warriors like Jo Ja-gyeong.
The expectations for Jo Ja-gyeong were that high, and Jo Ja-gyeong had led the Thousand Heaven Squad well, not disappointing those expectations. Since Deung Cheon-so’s relationship with him wasn’t bad either, his death hit him harder.
“Tsk! What a waste. He was a useful force.”
Deung Cheon-so clicked his tongue.
Although he regretted Jo Ja-gyeong’s death, he wasn’t greatly shaken.
The Demonic Cult had many young warriors. There was also plenty of talent. One of them would fill Jo Ja-gyeong’s vacant position.
Deung Cheon-so’s gaze turned to Sang Han-cheon.
“Did you call us to show Jo Ja-gyeong’s corpse?”
“……”
“We have a lot to do, unnecessarily…”
“This is not unnecessary.”
“What?”
“He…”
Boom!
Suddenly, the air vibrated.
Like ripples spreading across a water surface when a droplet falls, the vibration in the air spread throughout the area.
In an instant, everything froze.
The warriors guarding outside the hall. The leaders inside the hall.
“What is this?”
Deung Cheon-so’s complexion changed.
A chill ran down his spine, and goosebumps rose on his skin. And his whole body stiffened. It was as if invisible threads had tightly bound his entire body, preventing him from moving.
It was the same for the other warriors.
At that moment, Sang Han-cheon closed his eyes gently and opened his mouth.
“You’ve arrived.”
At that instant, along with a gentle breeze, the doors of the hall opened wide. And he walked in.
He was an old man with an otherworldly appearance, his snow-white hair being particularly striking. The white-haired old man entered the hall with his back straight, shoulders naturally relaxed, and steps as fluid as flowing water.
The moment the old man entered the hall, everything changed.
The air in the room, the atmosphere, people’s breathing.
The already chilly air became even colder and more threatening. It was as if the air itself had turned hostile.
The people in the room didn’t dare to breathe. They felt that if they took a deep breath, the hostile air would tear their lungs to shreds.
The pupils of the Seven Great Demon Masters, including Deung Cheon-so, trembled. Although they prided themselves on being the absolute masters leading the era, they found themselves shrinking endlessly in front of the unknown old man.
That’s how overwhelming the old man’s presence was.
‘Just who is that old man?’
‘Did such a master exist in our cult?’
The only one whose eyes didn’t waver was Sang Han-cheon. The rest couldn’t even guess the old man’s identity.
The old man looked at Jo Ja-gyeong, who was covered with a white cloth. Deep shadows hung over the old man’s eyes.
“Ja… gyeong.”
The moment they heard the voice of regret escaping the old man’s lips, the people in the hall felt as if their spirits had fallen into an abyss.
The old man reached out and caressed Jo Ja-gyeong’s face.
The moment he felt Jo Ja-gyeong’s icy cold body temperature, he knew for certain. Jo Ja-gyeong was no longer of this world.
The old man’s gaze turned to Sang Han-cheon.
“Han-cheon.”
“Yes! Elder. Please speak.”
Sang Han-cheon answered with a bow. Everyone was surprised by Sang Han-cheon’s attitude. It was the first time they had seen him show such extreme respect to anyone other than the Cult Leader.
Sang Han-cheon’s eyes were also very complex as he bowed his head.
The old man standing in front of him was a double-edged sword.
His extremely powerful martial arts were so great that even the Cult Leader was wary of him, but his free-spirited nature that could go in any direction was a great burden to everyone.
‘Cheon Oh-gyeong… The master of the Battle Sword Style one of the Thirteen Branches. Depending on what decision he makes, the movement of the Thirteen Branches will also change.’
“What happened?”
“I apologize.”
“I don’t want to hear your apology. I want to know the reason. What happened?”
“He fought a warrior from the Hundred Battles Sect. And he lost.”
“Hmph! The Hundred Battles Sect…”
Cheon Oh-gyeong sighed deeply as he looked at his disciple’s corpse.
When he sent him away, he thought he had also sent away all attachments. That’s why he readily sent him to the Cult Leader. Believing that he would make good use of him. But his disciple returned as a cold corpse, and his belief was shattered.
“Was the opponent that burdensome?”
He asked his disciple, but there was no answer.
He had thought it was not polite for a master to interfere in the life of a disciple who stood alone. So he tried hard to forget and live on.
Cheon Oh-gyeong stared at Jo Ja-gyeong’s face for a long time.
“I thought I had severed all attachments… But I guess not.”
The moment his words flowed out, Sang Han-cheon’s eyes shone.
‘Ja-gyeong’s death is regrettable, but the result is the best possible hand.’
He inwardly cheered, but he never made the mistake of revealing his thoughts outwardly.
Although they both inherited the Battle Sword Style there was a difference between Cheon Oh-gyeong and Jo Ja-gyeong’s achievements as vast as the sky and the earth.
“Where is the Hundred Battles Sect?”
“We don’t know yet. But we are inquiring about their whereabouts, so we should be able to find them soon.”
“Find out.”
“I will do as you command. Elder.”
Sang Han-cheon bowed deeply once again. His attitude was very respectful.
The eyes of the people in the room swirled in confusion. They tried to infer Cheon Oh-gyeong’s identity through Sang Han-cheon’s attitude and conversation. But there was also someone who chose to directly resolve their doubts rather than wracking their brains.
“Elder? Who are you, old man?”
The owner of the voice was none other than Deung Cheon-so.
He had such a fierce temperament that naturally, his voice was also incomparably rough. He was not pleased with the current situation, which was oppressed by Cheon Oh-gyeong’s atmosphere, so naturally, his voice was filled with force.
Even at Deung Cheon-so’s rough voice, Cheon Oh-gyeong did not answer. At that, Deung Cheon-so’s anger exploded.
“Old man! I am now…”
Swish!
At that moment, Deung Cheon-so felt a chilling sensation on his Adam’s apple.
His bulging eyes saw Cheon Oh-gyeong, who had somehow approached right in front of him.
‘Wh-when?’
He didn’t even feel when Cheon Oh-gyeong had moved. It was impossible considering Deung Cheon-so’s martial prowess.
Cheon Oh-gyeong’s sword finger was touching his Adam’s apple. The moment Cheon Oh-gyeong exerted his internal energy, his head would be separated from his body.
Tremble!
Deung Cheon-so’s body shook with fear.
He had never even imagined that a martial artist of this level could exist.
Cheon Oh-gyeong looked at Deung Cheon-so.
“When you speak, always think carefully. Once words are uttered, they can never be taken back.”
“Keu…”
“Elder! He is an important force of our cult. Although it may be irritating, he acted out of ignorance, so please forgive him just this once.”
At Sang Han-cheon’s polite request, Cheon Oh-gyeong withdrew his sword finger. Only then could Deung Cheon-so let out a sigh of relief.
His back was already drenched with cold sweat.
Cheon Oh-gyeong looked at Deung Cheon-so with a chilling gaze.
“Deung Cheon-so.”
“Yes? Yes!”
“Even your master couldn’t treat me like that.”
“You know my master?”
“How could I not know? The scar on your master’s chest… I’m the one who gave it to him.”
“Th-then?”
Deung Cheon-so’s eyes widened.
His master had lost his life almost thirty years ago. During the First Righteous-Demonic War.
His martial arts were absolute, to the point of being able to fight evenly against seven renowned masters from the righteous faction.
Deung Cheon-so was very proud of and respected such a master. He thought his master was the best in the world.
A single scar left on such a master’s chest. A fatal sword wound that narrowly missed his heart. It was the trace of the only defeat his master had suffered in his life.
His master had said:
It was a proud scar because he had challenged the one he respected the most and obtained it.
His name was…
“Immortal Sword Demon Cheon Oh-gyeong.”
A scream-like voice burst from Deung Cheon-so’s lips.
A legend long forgotten even in the Demonic Cult.
The term Demon Sword Immortal was enough to stir up the hall. It was an alias with that much weight and presence.
Regardless of the reaction in the hall, Cheon Oh-gyeong closed his eyes tightly.
‘I’m sorry, little brother. I thought I had discarded all seven emotions and six desires, but I guess I’m human too.'”
Read it only at Utoon.net!