Chapter 429

Taoist Master Bok-cheon guided Jin Ja-gang who lacked lightness skills.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s lightness arts were exceptionally advanced, allowing him to provide stable support to Jin Ja-gang just by holding his hand.

Jin Ja-gang’s leg meridians were all normally open, so there was no discomfort in using internal energy. However, he had a habit of putting excessive force on his intact right foot rather than his previously broken left foot, causing his body balance to be misaligned.

Such subtle habits affected his steps, causing him to constantly stumble.

“Don’t try to run quickly with an impatient mind. Think about relaxing your strength, making your body as light as possible, and running very long distances with minimal internal energy.”

Jin Ja-gang repeatedly either shot forward suddenly or nearly stumbled when his speed dramatically decreased, but thanks to Taoist Master Bok-cheon holding his hand, he didn’t lose his center of balance.

Jin Ja-gang focused on his senses.

Gradually the flow became familiar.

Jin Ja-gang found the optimal flow for himself. Instead of walking with uniform strides like others, he naturally repeated jumping far and jumping narrow.

At some point when Taoist Master Bok-cheon let go of his hand, Jin Ja-gang didn’t fall. He had completely caught the flow. Though not at the same speed, he became able to run without falling behind Taoist Master Bok-cheon or Son Bi.

“Thank you.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon lightly nodded to accept the greeting.

Neither Taoist Master Bok-cheon nor Jin Ja-gang were talkative types, and Son Bi couldn’t speak, so conversation quickly ceased.

Once the lightness skills became familiar, Jin Ja-gang became lost in thought.

An ominous feeling came from somewhere, grating on his nerves. Anxiety and suspicion came together.

He couldn’t yet identify the cause.

However, for now stopping the salt ships that would be used to distribute Five Poisons Fatal Pills took priority, so he couldn’t think more deeply about it.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the Min River.

Standing on a high hill overlooking the Min River below, Taoist Master Bok-cheon shouted.

“Those ships!”

Hundreds of ships presumed to be carrying salt were heading south at tremendous speed. Some had already passed by Jin Ja-gang and the others.

It seemed they had departed early due to Sim Hak’s signal.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon couldn’t hide his disappointed expression.

“We received word that Emei Sect was also coming, but did we fail to match the timing?”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon looked at Jin Ja-gang.

“Anyway, complete annihilation is impossible with just the three of us. We could wait for Emei Sect, or follow the ships downstream and join up with the Poison Sect Four Cliques. What would you do?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“Master said he would bring in Demonic Cult to attack the Northern Heaven Evil Faction. If Master failed, it’s either because the evil faction’s power was too strong, or…”

Killing intent formed in Jin Ja-gang’s eyes.

“Because Demon Cult betrayed him.”

In that fleet, there were probably Demon Cult and Northern Heaven Evil Faction masters who killed Master Haewol together.

“I will pick them out and deal with them.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon agreed.

“It will be a difficult battle. Then let’s leave the rest to the Poison Sect Four Cliques coming up from downstream.”

The Poison Sect Four Cliques had weakened from fighting Jin Ja-gang. They couldn’t stop the Demon Cult and evil faction masters.

Son Bi tapped Jin Ja-gang’s shoulder.

She wondered how he would pick out and attack masters from among the ships of that rapidly rushing fleet.

Jin Ja-gang gave a look that said to watch, then stood at the edge of the hill observing the passing ships.

Then he drew up his internal energy to the maximum.

GRIND.

Jin Ja-gang gritted his teeth.

“Come forth, Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit!”

Whirlpools began forming in Jin Ja-gang’s entire body’s meridians. The whirlpools rapidly rose within the embankment blocking the path.

Three, four… six, seven… eight!

In the past, Dan Ryeonggyeong dominated Shandong as the Fifth Ray of Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Demonic Art, and Muam Honorable Master became one of the Three Paths thirty years ago with the Sixth Ray.

However, now Jin Ja-gang had reached the Eighth Ray, surpassing all of that.

Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Demonic Art Eighth Ray.

The Raise of the Head-Bowing Demon God!

Jin Ja-gang spread both arms and roared silently.

GROOOOOOOOO!

Instantly the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit’s energy went berserk in Jin Ja-gang’s body and poured out externally.

Son Bi’s skin tingled as she stepped back and defended with internal energy. Son Bi thought this was merely simple internal energy momentum that Jin Ja-gang was creating, but Taoist Master Bok-cheon of the Taoist sect felt differently.

He received a terrible impression like a fierce demon howling while caught on a leash. Goosebumps arose and all the hair on his body stood on end. Without knowing it, his demon-subduing internal energy reacted and surged up.

Jin Ja-gang’s energy poured indiscriminately over the entire fleet passing below the hill.

The Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit’s energy hit the Min River’s waves and scattered.

Originally, Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art combined Qingcheng Sect’s Toad Art with Demon Cult’s Five Thunder Heaven Art.

The Demon Cult masters on the ships were also affected.

The Demon Cult masters came out onto the deck and looked toward Jin Ja-gang.

Despite the distance, they felt something ominous.

Fire Flame Master and Myriad Enlightened Master holding burning energy.

And even the ferry boats of Demon Cult followers lined up protectively around the ship they were on.

“Found them!”

Killing intent filled Jin Ja-gang’s bulging eyes.

The evil faction masters also felt Jin Ja-gang’s energy and came up on deck. Among them, a giant in armor holding a great sword was particularly noticeable. Four or five masters stood around him. Among them was the demoness So Su-jin, who had previously crossed hands with Taoist Master Bok-cheon, looking up at Taoist Master Bok-cheon with a splint on her left wrist.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon recognized the one holding the great sword. Their gazes met across a distant distance where faces couldn’t even be seen.

“Thunder Emperor Ga Mu-ru! I wondered if it might be so, but even that one has finally entered the Central Plains.”

It was clear without seeing how difficult a battle Master Haewol had fought alone.

“Indestructible Heavenly Sword Sword is not visible.”

To Taoist Master Bok-cheon’s words, Jin Ja-gang replied.

“He’s somewhere among those ships.”

Jin Ja-gang momentarily felt Baek Li-jung’s energy responding to his own momentum. However, immediately afterward, Baek Li-jung’s energy hid itself.

Surprisingly, Baek Li-jung’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit had become afraid of Jin Ja-gang’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit!

Therefore, Baek Li-jung’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit completely erased its presence, hiding its tail.

Jin Ja-gang could feel the reason.

It was afraid of being devoured by Jin Ja-gang, who had subdued the Eighth Light Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit. Baek Li-jung’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit was by no means weak. However, Baek Li-jung’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit could not escape the limits of master and servant.

It knew all too well that if it appeared now, it would lose to Jin Ja-gang who had the qualifications of a master.

“I’ll take Thunder Emperor.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon directed his gaze toward Ga Muru. Son Bi wanted to go toward Jin Ja-gang, but the momentum Jin Ja-gang was emitting was too murderous for her to approach. Going together would only be a hindrance.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Son Bi worried about how Jin Ja-gang would move from the hill to the ships cutting through the current below.

However, that was an unnecessary worry.

Jin Ja-gang immediately leaped down.

Then he spread both arms and launched Asura Sutra.

Like Soul Seizing Hall Master Tang Sang-yul who had shown Jin Ja-gang how to use Soul-Seizing Thread, he shot Asura Sutra in all directions. Asura Sutra entangled with the rocks below the hill, the masts of the ships passing closest by, and the ship railings.

Jin Ja-gang ran with lightness skills on the Asura Sutra woven like warp and weft threads.

It was a sight like running through empty air.

As he advanced toward the direction where the Demon Cult masters were, the startled followers each drew weapons and aimed at Jin Ja-gang.

When Jin Ja-gang flew over the ships, they shot arrows and stabbed with spears. Naturally, it was meaningless. None of the weapons the ordinary followers launched hit Jin Ja-gang. Some were deflected by hitting the Asura Sutra stretched in the air.

Jin Ja-gang reached the ship in the center of the river in an instant.

Until he landed on the ship’s rail, the two Demon Cult masters Fire Flame Master and Myriad Enlightened Master didn’t attack Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang glared at them with blazing eyes.

Fire Flame Master, holding burning energy, looked at Jin Ja-gang and shouted.

“You have the same roots as us! So why do you harbor killing intent toward us!”

Jin Ja-gang asked back.

“I understand you were brought in by Master Haewol. Is that correct?”

Fire Flame Master and Myriad Enlightened Master briefly looked at each other.

Myriad Enlightened Master, bald with a hooked nose, glared at Jin Ja-gang.

“How dare… Where does a young punk get so impudent?”

Jin Ja-gang asked coldly.

“I asked if that’s correct.”

“So what if it is, what will you do if it’s not?”

Myriad Enlightened Master also began emitting killing intent.

Then Fire Flame Master blocked between them with his burning iron weapon.

“Wait! Are you by any chance Poison Dragon, Jin Ja-gang?”

“That’s right.”

Myriad Enlightened Master and Fire Flame Master frowned.

“Myriad Enlightened Master, step back.”

Both took a step back.

“We heard about you from the Sect Leader. Go back. We are like family.”

“Sect Leader?”

“Radiant Enlightened Master Yelu Hwan, that person has become the leader of our sect. Haven’t you already received kindness from him? Yet you would still fight us?”

Radiant Enlightened Master Yelu Hwan had transmitted the latter half of Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art, created with Venerable Woo-am, to Jin Ja-gang.

However, Jin Ja-gang wasn’t swayed at all.

“You’re mistaken. It’s not me who owes a debt, but Radiant Enlightened Master, your sect leader.”

“What?”

Jin Ja-gang bellowed.

“Is this how your sect repays kindness when in debt!”

At Jin Ja-gang’s bellow, Myriad Enlightened Master’s eyes narrowed.

“This fellow dares to threaten people of our sect while using our sect’s internal energy?”

Jin Ja-gang asked in a sharp voice.

“Then let me ask just one thing. Why did you betray Master?”

“We didn’t betray him. We had joined hands with Indestructible Heavenly Sword Sword from the beginning.”

“Indestructible Heavenly Sword Sword is the person who imprisoned your sect leader for a long time.”

Myriad Enlightened Master snorted.

“That’s all Haewol’s scheme. Indestructible Heavenly Sword Sword was deceived by his tricks and coveted the martial arts the sect leader possessed.”

“So in exchange for joining hands, you handed over Demon Cult’s martial arts to him?”

Myriad Enlightened Master smiled coldly.

“What we handed over wasn’t Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art but the incantation of Five Thunder Heaven Art.”

Without Qingcheng Sect’s Toad Art formula, the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit cannot be subdued. So that’s why Baek Li-jung was swept away by the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit!

Jin Ja-gang said.

“I understand.”

“What?”

“Immediately disembark and return to your sect. And tell your sect leader that I will come to collect the debt anytime. Then I will spare you.”

Myriad Enlightened Master’s eyes became fierce.

“Such impudence…! Just because you can use a bit of our sect’s energy, you think the whole world belongs to you? How dare you speak of debt to our sect leader?”

Jin Ja-gang said coldly.

“He joined hands with the one who imprisoned him and handed over martial arts that would harm his body, betrayed the one he promised to join hands with and drove him to death. And now he’s cooperating in a plan to spread poison that will disturb the martial world. How great must such a person be that I shouldn’t speak of it?”

“You brat!”

Fire Flame Master restrained the indignant Myriad Enlightened Master.

“The martial arts you learned from the sect leader, how many dikes did it form?”

“Eight.”

Fire Flame Master and Myriad Enlightened Master were startled.

“To achieve Jade Void to the Eighth Light. Remarkable.”

“If he achieved the Eighth Light, it’s equivalent to achieving eleven-tenths of Five Thunder Heaven Art. It’s difficult for us to oppose.”

“Eighth Ray… You mean this little brat is stronger than us?”

While speaking, Myriad Enlightened Master’s eyes suddenly changed.

Myriad Enlightened Master ambushed Jin Ja-gang. He crouched down and hooked Jin Ja-gang’s legs with a skewer to trip him.

“Lies should be told properly! How could a little brat like you have the same achievement as our sect leader!”

Even Fire Flame Master’s expression changed as he joined the attack.

Fire Flame Master roared and brought down his flaming iron weapon.

“The crime of insulting our sect and sect leader, I shall punish with fire!”