Chapter 132
While the finals of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering were underway, a young girl and an elder were passing through the underground of the Murim Alliance.
“We’re not burrowing creatures, but to think a place like this exists.”
As the young girl marveled at the underground, which perhaps had a wider space than the Surface above, the white-haired elder replied with an expressionless face.
“Perhaps it’s because they are even gloomier fellows than us.”
“So the information is definitely accurate, right? If we go to the end of this…”
“It was reported directly by the Dark King, so I believe you can trust it.”
“Hmm…”
Eumyak Am-Wang is the elder in Charge of all external information outside the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
The information he directly reported was never flawed.
At this, the young girl walked along without complaint, and soon the martial artists guarding the Underground Secret Passage appeared one after another.
Of course…
Slash.
“Kuaaaagh-!”
…they couldn’t stop their steps for even a moment.
Stepping in front of the young girl, the elder defeated the warriors with simple hand gestures, without even needing to draw a weapon.
Seeing that sight, the young girl clicked her tongue and said.
“No particularly Threatening guys are even showing up, so why did you bother tagging along, old man?”
“How could I not be worried when someone with such a Frail body is going personally? Do you not still need more rest? Therefore, please put This Old Man to work.”
Saying so, the elder’s gaze turned to her abdomen, where a massive scar remained.
She had been born Frail. But after receiving that wound on her abdomen, her already weak body had become even weaker.
“Tch…”
This time too, the young girl kept her mouth shut at the elder’s words.
The elder was the only one who could nag her. And the elder’s words weren’t wrong either.
As they moved silently once again, a rather strong fellow appeared this time.
“You Bastards-! Do you know where you are…!”
Slash-!
Of course, he was also struck down by a single wave of the elder’s hand this time as well.
Still, at the appearance of an unusual fellow, the eyes of the young girl and the elder sharpened simultaneously.
“It seems we’ve arrived?”
“Yes, it seems so.”
As the two said that and turned the corner, a massive door appeared immediately.
At this, the elder drew his Great Saber tied to his back and immediately swung it, but…
CLANG-!!
“It’s Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.”
…the door was sturdier than expected.
“Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron…”
As soon as she heard that, the Young Girl thought it was a waste and said to the elder.
“So…, should I do it, or will you do it, old man.”
“Is this not the reason I tagged along to do things like this.”
Srrng-.
The elder raised the Great Saber high with its deep blue blade, as he began to circulate internal energy through his body…
Rumble-!!
…his body, which had looked like any other elder’s, was enveloped in Black Demonic Qi and bulged with veins.
And as he struck down with all his might…
CRASH-!!
…with a deafening roar, the door made of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron collapsed helplessly.
Watching that sight nonchalantly, the young girl slowly walked inside.
If it were a calculating person here, they would have struggled to pick up the Remnants of the door made of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron. But the young girl did not bother to do so.
What existed behind the door… was a scattering of priceless treasures even more valuable than lumps of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.
Seeing that sight, the emotionless young girl widened her eyes slightly.
The elder was the same.
“It’s incredible. I didn’t expect it to be to this extent.”
“Indeed.”
However, the young girl and the elder walked somewhere without even touching the other treasures.
At the end of this Secret Vault…, a certain object was emitting Demonic Qi as if bewitching the two. That was probably the item the two were looking for.
As the young girl trudged toward where the Demonic Qi was felt, an old wooden box soon appeared.
And as she opened it…
“…”
“…Oh.”
…they could find a pitch-black Sword covered in talismans, as if sealing away something unholy.
“This is what the First Heavenly Demon is said to have used…”
“…It seems to be.”
The Heavenly Demon Sword, said to have been used by the First Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the First Heavenly Demon.
It was the moment the sacred artifact of the Heavenly Demon Cult, which had been lost and taken away after their defeat in the Righteous-Demonic War hundreds of years ago, finally returned.
“Hmm…”
Riiip.
Without another word, the young girl picked up the Heavenly Demon Sword and tore off the talismans plastered all over it.
And as she infused her Demonic Qi into the Sword…
Vwoom-.
…it resonated as if it had met its Master.
“Hm?”
At this, the young girl tilted her head in question.
“I can use it even though I’m not the Cult Leader?”
Originally, the Heavenly Demon Sword was a Sword that only the Cult Leader could use. It was stated as such in the records as well.
Those without the qualifications couldn’t even lift it.
But right now, the young girl was not only lifting the Sword effortlessly, but she was also resonating with it.
As she muttered to herself in surprise, the elder explained.
“Isn’t this case a bit special? And the qualification to lift the Sword is probably…”
“Ah…, is it about whether one has learned 'that'?”
“It seems to be so.”
“If that’s the case, it makes sense.”
Swish-.
The young girl nodded for now and attached the Heavenly Demon Sword to her waist.
Although she wasn’t the Master of this Sword…, she still judged that it would be safer for her to keep it personally, so she took it herself.
“Now, then let’s get going…”
Just as the two, having achieved their goal, were about to head outside…
“Hm?”
…something caught her eye.
Unlike the other treasures that were meticulously stored in their respective places, there was something placed on the central Dais. Upon closer inspection, it was an old gourd bottle, but its appearance was extraordinary.
“What is this…?”
Without another word, the young girl picked up the gourd bottle and popped the stopper.
Then…
Fwoosh-.
A sweet fragrance immediately began to spread inside. As the young girl looked inside, there was a single drop of white liquid.
“What…, is this?”
Since she wasn’t knowledgeable about elixirs, she immediately handed it to the elder. The elder stared blankly at it, and only after smelling the scent was he able to figure out what it was.
“Hoh…, this is Gongcheongseokyu.”
“This is Gongcheongseokyu?”
The young girl didn’t know much about elixirs, but she knew of Gongcheongseokyu, because Gongcheongseokyu was that famous of an elixir.
“Yes, it seems to be. This will also help in resting and recovering your body. How about taking this as well…”
“Hmm…”
Originally, the two had agreed to retrieve only the Heavenly Demon Sword before entering the Secret Vault. But with an elixir right in front of them…, one that would even help with her recovery, it was hard to Resist.
“Yeah, might as well take this too.”
“That is a good idea.”
Like that, the two stepped outside in a good mood, having even obtained an unexpected harvest.
However…
“…”
“Hm?”
“Oh my…”
Outside the Secret Vault where the two emerged, there was a guest.
To be exact, a young Taoist Priest was wearing a martial uniform adorned with a Plum Blossom Pattern.
“Upon seeing the plum blossoms…, is this the Mount Hua Sect?”
“…”
“But you’re alone? Didn’t you see the corpses on your way here? If you were smart, you would have brought others with you.”
“…”
“Not talking, huh…”
The young girl tilted her head and examined the Taoist Priest’s face.
His lips were trembling. The emotion clearly revealed in his expression right now was obvious fear. And…
“…”
…unbearable anger.
‘Were the ones we met on the way this Taoist Priest’s comrades?’
If that was the case, the feeling of anger was understandable, but even taking that into account, the Taoist Priest’s anger was too vivid.
But that small question was nothing compared to the Taoist Priest’s next words.
“Grand Elder Black Wild King. And…, Deputy Cult Leader Cheon Ye-Seo.”
“…”
“…”
“…Put down the Heavenly Demon Sword and get lost.”
The incident of the Demonic Cult raiding the Murim Alliance’s Secret Vault was something that was supposed to happen a few years later.
The Heavenly Demon Sword was…, a symbol of the Heavenly Demon Cult’s resurrection, and at the same time…
‘Because it’s a symbol of the outbreak of war… But why is that already…’
Ha Jinseong wanted to believe that what he saw yesterday was a mistake, but it wasn’t.
Because the ones in front of his eyes were… the actual Rank 2 and Rank 3 of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Deputy Cult Leader and the Grand Elder.
“I must absolutely stop them from escaping Anhui.”
Ha Jinseong gripped his Sword tightly with firm resolve.
And…
“…Grand Elder. What’s with him?”
Paat-!
As soon as Cheon Ye-Seo uttered a single word, the Grand Elder immediately swung his Great Saber and unleashed a Saber Strike at Ha Jinseong.
RUMBLE-!!!
It was truly a Saber Strike capable of splitting Ha Jinseong in half.
Naturally, Ha Jinseong didn’t have the strength To Block it, so instead he…
CLANG-!!
…deflected the Saber Strike with all his might to alter its trajectory.
The Saber Strike could escape the underground and shoot out to the Surface.
“Hoh.”
Seeing that sight, Cheon Ye-Seo clicked her tongue once because his intention was too obvious.
“He must be trying to drag the guys outside into our battle.”
Even though it was certain that Casualties would inevitably occur, the Taoist Priest made such a choice.
Even as she thought that, the Saber Strike was piercing through the ceiling and shooting upwards.
KABOOM-!!
The sound of a building on the Surface collapsing from the aftermath of the Saber Strike could be heard. Soon, this place would collapse without a trace.
“Deputy Cult Leader. I apologize. I should have handled it quietly…”
“It’s fine, let’s meet on the Surface, old man.”
“Yes, I will quickly dispose of that fellow and head up.”
Paat-!
With those words, the Grand Elder leaped toward Ha Jinseong.
And Cheon Ye-Seo…
“I didn’t plan on doing this, but things have gotten annoying…”
…headed to the Surface, stepping on the falling debris.
* * *
CRASH-!!!
“D-Danger-!!”
“Everyone get back!!”
The Murim Alliance Headquarters building, which stood at least seven stories high, was collapsing. Thanks to that, the collapsed debris headed toward the Sparring Arena and swept over the people, but that wasn’t the problem.
“…”
…That Saber Strike that just surged up from the underground.
It was mixed with an unfathomable amount of Internal Strength.
Not only that…
“…Demonic Qi.”
A fellow of at least elder level is currently here.
“H-Hey. What’s wrong…”
“…”
At this, I couldn’t even let go of my hand holding Somyung-i and just stared at the crumbling debris.
And as I was watching it…
Paat-!
…there was a figure that shot out from the debris and leaped into the sky.
“L-Look over there-!”
“A p-person-!”
Perhaps the others had also seen her shoot up, as they all pointed their fingers and looked up at the sky.
Having shot up into Mid-Air, she… slowly descended to the ground, her clothes fluttering gently as if she were stepping on the Void.
Combined with her appearance, that fantastic sight created the image of a celestial maiden descending from the heavens, but…
“…Fuck.”
…Upon seeing her face, I had no choice but to freeze in place.
Because right now that bitch is a bitch very far from being a celestial maiden.
“…Huh? That woman is the one we ran into last time…”
Somyung-i muttered, wondering if we had met her before.
And…, only then was I able to spot the Heavenly Demon Sword tied to her waist.
“Ah.”
The Demonic Cult Bastards' seizure of the Murim Alliance’s Secret Vault.
It was definitely something that was supposed to happen a few years later, but it had changed.
Fuck, is it because of me again? What did I do?
Now I feel a little wronged.
As I was feeling wronged like that, she, who was descending from the sky, locked eyes with me.
“Uh…”
“…”
Perhaps surprised to see me, she froze.
And soon…
“…You.”
…a smile bloomed as if she had met someone she missed.
“Why are you here? Anyway, it’s nice to see you again in a place like this.”
“…Nice to see you too, you crazy bitch.”
While saying it was nice to see me, she immediately drew her Sword. I did the same.
Srrng-.
Because the bitch in front of my eyes was a bitch I absolutely had to kill with my own hands.
“Remember? I told you that if we met again, I’d put another hole in your belly.”
When I said that, Cheon Ye-Seo unconsciously fiddled with the scar that was on her abdomen.
And then, not backing down, she smiled and said to me.
“But why are you here? Is it possible to participate in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering with the status of a Disciple of the Pacheonmun Sect? Oops…, you’re not a Disciple of the Pacheonmun Sect anymore, right?”
“…”
Her eyes were smiling, but her words contained thorns - thorns that would hurt me…, and hurt me again.
“Because the Pacheonmun Sect is a One-Person Succession, you must be the Pacheonmun Sect Leader now.”
“You fucking bitch.”
There was nothing more to hear.
I immediately left Somyung-i behind and leaped toward Cheon Ye-Seo.
As I charged in, she also drew her Sword and circulated her Demonic Qi as if she were delighted. And then, she chanted the worst and strongest Martial Art.
“Heavenly Demon Divine Art, First Stance, Unknown Killing Sword.”
At the same time she chanted the Stance, a Demonic Qi that was chilling just to look at bloomed from the Heavenly Demon Sword.
At this, I also leaped and unfolded a Stance.
To be exact…
Paaa.
Pacheon Divine Art, First Stance, Unknown Sword-Breaking.
CLANG-!!
As soon as the two swords touched, a deafening roar rang out and a flash of light shone as if an explosion had occurred.