Chapter 481

Namgung Rak looked at Baek Li-jung with suspicious eyes.

Baek Li-jung bent his waist diagonally and howled like a beast.

A terribly dreadful wildness was felt.

Just hearing the cry gave goosebumps.

“…”

Baek Li-jung roared with hair standing all over his body, then suddenly realized his mistake.

Just as Jin Ja-gang intended, he had revealed the true nature he hid before countless people.

Baek Li-jung’s eyebrows twisted strangely. His lips also twisted as if smiling or grimacing.

Jin Ja-gang had already suppressed the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit in the meantime and restrained the rampaging internal energy, coldly staring at Baek Li-jung.

“I see. I understand.”

Jin Ja-gang knew.

The reason Baek Li-jung didn’t react to Jin Ja-gang’s internal energy earlier.

Baek Li-jung’s eyes gleamed at Jin Ja-gang’s tone. His gaze glistened with killing intent and greed.

“What do you mean?”

“You should know better than anyone. No, perhaps you don’t know.”

“You’re talking strangely. It must be because you’re about to die.”

Baek Li-jung unconsciously wiped the saliva flowing from his mouth with his hand.

Jin Ja-gang knows what that trivial action means. He realized it through the resonance just now.

Baek Li-jung,

Was devoured by the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit.

His current reason and personality are not the previous Baek Li-jung.

He has transformed into natural ‘evil’.

Fanatically obsessed with greed.

For Baek Li-jung, the most important thing is satisfying greed. That primary greed manifests as hunger. Always suffering from hunger, not hesitating to do anything to satisfy hunger. He thoroughly ignores the principles that must be kept in human society and social norms.

A state no different from starving wild dogs who eat each other when hungry.

That was the current Baek Li-jung.

So he didn’t react to Jin Ja-gang’s internal energy trying to draw out the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit inside Baek Li-jung at the very first.

Since the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit, the nature of the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit, had already crawled out from inside Baek Li-jung to the outside, the act of drawing it out was meaningless in itself.

When inside and outside are the same, ripping open the inside wouldn’t produce anything different!

Moreover, the thing that devoured Baek Li-jung and came outside has grown to the point of not wavering even to Jin Ja-gang’s internal energy.

Dangerous.

Baek Li-jung’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit grew its mass tremendously in a short time.

If even Sword King Namgung Rak falls to Baek Li-jung, then Baek Li-jung, no, Baek Li-jung’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit will grow so large that even Jin Ja-gang can’t stop it.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“Should I do it once more? Or will you acknowledge it yourself?”

He intended to provoke the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit that devoured Baek Li-jung.

If Baek Li-jung showed such a state before numerous Righteous Alliance martial artists, Baek Li-jung would have no place to stand even if he won this fight.

Several people were already looking at Baek Li-jung with suspicious eyes.

Baek Li-jung, understanding Jin Ja-gang’s intention, bared his fangs and grinned even wider.

“Heh…, still cunning. However…”

Baek Li-jung suddenly straightened his bent waist, crossed his arms, and made a solemn expression.

Then he shouted to the Righteous Alliance martial artists standing far away.

“Brothers! Why are you afraid? All raise your swords! To whoever kills the Sword King, I will give one hundred gold taels and a high-ranking executive position in the Murim Alliance!”

One hundred gold taels!

The Righteous Alliance martial artists’ eyes widened.

It was a tremendous fortune. Not only a palace-like house, but one could live an entire lifetime in leisure with ten concubines. Honestly, there was no need to even take the Murim Alliance’s high-ranking executive position.

Gulp.

The Righteous Alliance martial artists swallowed dry saliva.

It wasn’t about killing Poison Dragon but the Sword King. The Sword King was seriously injured and couldn’t move properly. Jin Ja-gang would be dealt with by Baek Li-jung and these hundreds would attack, so if luck was good…

Greed appeared on the Righteous Alliance martial artists’ faces.

If done well…

Anyway, fighting would result in death either way, but if luck was good, one could live an entire lifetime as a wealthy person.

The Righteous Alliance martial artists forgot Baek Li-jung’s strange appearance shown just before. They just dismissed it as something that happened while fighting Jin Ja-gang. Besides, they couldn’t question Baek Li-jung about it anyway. What mattered was the prize money dangling before their eyes.

Prize money to live in leisure for life…

They looked at Sword King Namgung Rak as if looking at prey.

Namgung Rak also felt their gazes and laughed hollowly.

“To think I’d become prey to rats…”

Among the Righteous Alliance martial artists, riffraff were mixed but fairly large clans and sects were also mixed. Disciples of Zhuge Family and Kongtong Sect could still be seen here and there.

“This must be the harm the Taoist worried about.”

A martial world where even lives are valued in gold.

They risk their lives for gold, not justice.

What a dreadful world this is.

Namgung Rak sighed and looked at the Righteous Alliance martial artists whose eyes gleamed.

Even for Namgung Rak, it would be difficult to withstand easily.

Moreover, if Jin Ja-gang looked after Namgung Rak, Jin Ja-gang would also become endangered.

Hundreds of Righteous Alliance martial artists began sneaking closer while watching for openings.

Namgung Rak forcibly recovered his body and said to Jin Ja-gang.

“Heh, I never thought there would come a day when Unbreakable Heavenly Sword would be burdensome. I’ll take care of my own body, so Poison Dragon, you just focus on Unbreakable Heavenly Sword.”

Jin Ja-gang answered immediately.

“That’s impossible.”

“I’m not seeking permission.”

“Why would I want to protect the Sword King?”

“Right. I’ve been curious from earlier. What’s the reason?”

“If the Sword King becomes like Northern Li Sword Immortal, there’s no one to stop Unbreakable Heavenly Sword.”

Namgung Rak couldn’t retort. Even if he didn’t know in detail, the knowledge he accumulated wasn’t shallow. Looking at Jin Ja-gang’s words and Baek Li-jung’s martial arts state…

Northern Li Sword Immortal became prey to Unbreakable Heavenly Sword…

If he became like that, it wouldn’t just be a problem right now but would cause problems in the future, so Namgung Rak couldn’t help but listen to Jin Ja-gang’s words.

“Understood. However, being by your side will be a hindrance.”

“Don’t die and stay alive. I’ll come right away.”

Namgung Rak knew it was definitely said for his sake, yet he felt Jin Ja-gang’s words were somehow irritating.

“By any chance, do people not tell you you’re irritating?”

“I hear it a lot.”

“I thought so.”

Namgung Rak held Divine Ladle River Sword, glared at Baek Li-jung, and moved away from Jin Ja-gang. Like how the Namgung Family disciple was taken earlier, he could become a hostage. The farther he moved from Jin Ja-gang, the less he would affect Jin Ja-gang’s fight.

When Namgung Rak limped away because of his broken ankle, Righteous Alliance martial artists immediately rushed like hungry ghosts.

“Waaah!”

“One hundred gold taels is mine!”

Righteous Alliance martial artists blinded by money rushed in. However, even injured, a tiger is still a tiger. Without rashly rushing in, they shot arrows and threw flying daggers from afar.

Namgung Rak lightly swept Divine Ladle River Sword with just one arm while keeping the arm on his injured chest side attached to his body. The flying weapons were fast, but Namgung Rak’s movement was slow. Yet before Namgung Rak’s arm fully extended, all the flying weapons bounced away. The Initial Shot Sword Energy of Absolute Slow Sword was already laid before Namgung Rak.

“Throw!”

An iron net spread above Namgung Rak’s head. Namgung Rak slowly retrieved his sword and tilted his body to change the direction of Wind Thread Energy flowing around.

Dozens of Wind Thread Energy like wind threads rose to the sky and cut the nets strand by strand. Arrows that flew were also split by hitting Wind Thread Energy. Since his body’s injuries were severe, he couldn’t endure long, but since internal energy wouldn’t cease with Divine Ladle River Sword, he wouldn’t fall easily.

His heart felt considerably lighter than before.

Namgung Rak was surprised to realize he himself had become very calm.

It was because of Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang was putting Namgung Rak’s anxiety to rest.

‘This feeling is…?’

Namgung Rak was surprised as he remembered when he first met Taoist Haewol.

The stubborn Taoist… Taoist Haewol was a walking Taoist scripture itself.

Compared to him, Jin Ja-gang was a beast full of the smell of blood. His actions and tone were steeped with thick killing intent, making even Namgung Rak get goosebumps at times.

Yet the paths those two people walked were ultimately heading toward the same place.

Somehow, he felt it wouldn’t be too worrying even if he died here at this place. Of course, since Jin Ja-gang told him not to die, if he died, he would receive tremendous scolding from Jin Ja-gang.

‘Poison Dragon…’

A gentle smile spread on Namgung Rak’s lips as he raised his sword again to face the Righteous Alliance martial artists.

Baek Li-jung sneered seeing the Righteous Alliance martial artists shouting and attacking Namgung Rak.

“Everyone has greed. Money and vain desires. Those who prioritize such things are good to manipulate.”

Jin Ja-gang asked quietly.

“Did you create this kind of world?”

Baek Li-jung looked down at Jin Ja-gang and answered.

“No.”

One side of his lips smiled long.

“However, how is it, this kind of world? Isn’t it good?”

“A world where scoundrels live well?”

“A world where anyone with ability can succeed. A world where anyone can rise as far as they go if they just work hard. A world where people like Haewol don’t block the way.”

Jin Ja-gang asked back.

“Are you insane? Do you think what you’re doing now matches what you’re saying?”

“What doesn’t match? Money power is ability, authority is ability, and birth is ability. Using schemes and trickery to drag down those above, stabbing a dagger into the heart of those rising to protect my position. All of that is the foundation of success, fair competition for all, is it not?”

“Ah, so that’s why.”

“That’s why what?”

“Because you have such thoughts…”

Jin Ja-gang stared at Baek Li-jung plainly. Then he paused briefly before continuing.

“You’re being devoured.”

Baek Li-jung’s eyebrows twitched.

“By whom?”

“You.”

Baek Li-jung made a terrible smile.

“I am not being devoured.”

“You’ve already been devoured.”

“Do you take me for a fool? I am in the process of assimilating ahead.”

“Don’t be mistaken. The Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit is the predator, and you are the prey. Why did you discard the incantation method of Toad Art?”

At Jin Ja-gang’s words, Baek Li-jung became serious. He raised his fist and showed it clenched forcefully.

“A dog with a leash cannot become strong. At best it only barks. Fighting dogs must learn to bite without barking.”

“That’s when it doesn’t bite its owner.”

Baek Li-jung raised his eyes wide and flowed different energy from both eyes as he spoke.

“Initially, Taiji established the Dao, and through endlessly changing yin and yang, all things of heaven and earth were formed. Since the phenomenon of yin and yang generating is unceasing, they cannot be said to be different, thus it is called Not Different. Since yin and yang sometimes transform and reverse with each other, originally Not Two, likewise the origins of the two are not different.”

Jin Ja-gang said coldly.

“Demonic path. That doesn’t become your reason for choosing the demonic path.”