Chapter 415

Chapter 415 – Evil Fate Continues Endlessly (3)

Shudder!

It wasn't only the underground cavern that trembled. Sang Han-cheon's body also convulsed. Every single hair on his body stood up, and goosebumps arose on his skin.

Two red glows flickered in the darkness.

They were the eyes of Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol.

His words continued.

"What is it, Han-cheon?"

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's voice was heard inside Sang Han-cheon's head. It was Demonic Spirit True Sound that was transmitted directly to the heart like Buddha's light-mind speech.

Sang Han-cheon answered while prostrating.

"I have come seeking your permission, Cult Leader."

"What is it?"

"I wish to move the Cult Protection Division."

"Cult Protection Division?"

At Cheok Gwan-hyeol's question, the massive demonic energy filling the underground cavern rippled and constricted Sang Han-cheon's body. Instantly the blood drained from Sang Han-cheon's face.

"We n-need the Cult Protection Division's power."

"The reason?"

"The damage from Fist Demon is severe. And some personnel are not moving according to my will."

"Your will is my intention. Who dares defy my command?"

"Divine Fire Hall Leader Nam Hyeon-so defied my command and assembled troops on his own."

"Nam Hyeon-so did?"

"Yes! He unilaterally assembled troops to attack Fist Demon."

"The result?"

"Hall Leader Nam's contact has been cut off."

"You mean he failed."

"……"

Sang Han-cheon didn't answer. Even without answering, his meaning was conveyed to Cheok Gwan-hyeol.

Hissss!

The demonic energy filling the underground cavern rippled like a storm. It was proof that Cheok Gwan-hyeol was angry.

"Han-cheon."

"Please speak."

"Tell Wi Gang-hwi my words. That your will is my intention."

"Thank you, Cult Leader!"

Bang!

Sang Han-cheon struck his head forcefully against the floor once more.

Wi Gang-hwi's epithet was Phantom Demon Emperor, the new director of the Cult Protection Division.

He was the one who newly became head of the Cult Protection Division after the former director, Northern Dark Demon Emperor Hwa Mu-ui, was executed for secretly communicating with the Holy Maiden Eum Yu-kyung.

He had higher seniority than Sang Han-cheon and his personality was also willful, so Sang Han-cheon's influence didn't work well on him.

He was in a state of seclusion, only saying to bring the Cult Leader's command if they wanted to move the Cult Protection Division. To move such a person, Cheok Gwan-hyeol's permission was absolutely necessary.

"Han-cheon."

"Please speak."

"Hurry. My emergence is not far off. Before then, at least the Martial Alliance must be annexed."

"I obey your command!"

Sang Han-cheon shouted forcefully and struck his forehead against the floor once more. The floor made of blue steel stone was stained red with his blood.

"Withdraw now. If you stay here any longer, your clever brain will burn up completely."

"Understood. Then please take care of your health until you emerge again."

Sang Han-cheon bowed deeply to Cheok Gwan-hyeol and carefully withdrew. His form disappeared from sight as if pushed by darkness.

"Fist Demon……"

Sometimes just hearing an opponent's name can give an unpleasant feeling. The epithet Fist Demon was like that.

Just hearing that epithet aroused hostility and intense fighting spirit. It meant he was that stimulating.

But that was as far as it went.

Fist Demon Dam Ho was certainly a tremendous master and a troublesome existence that dealt great damage to the Demon Cult, but once Cheok Gwan-hyeol emerged, he wouldn't be a problem.

The Heaven Embracing Demonic Art he had learned was an ancient demonic art that allowed humans to wield the power of demon gods.

Before Heaven Embracing Demonic Art, any supreme technique or absolute learning of Central Plains would only become meaningless. No matter how great Fist Demon Dam Ho was, before the Heaven Embracing Demonic Art he had learned, he would lose his light like a firefly before the full moon.

The problem wasn't Fist Demon but somewhere else.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol called someone in a quiet voice.

"Annihilation King."

"Yes! Cult Leader."

Instantly someone appeared like a ghost with their answer.

It was a man wearing snow-white robes like snow. The man who wore a scarf made of white fox fur on his shoulders had even white pupils, giving the feeling he wasn't of this world.

The man's name was No Gun-sang, epithet White Wing Annihilation King.

Along with Black Wing Death King Jin Do-hwi, he was the White Lion among the Black and White Lions who assisted the Cult Leader at close range.

Unlike Jin Do-hwi whose face was somewhat known, everything about him was thoroughly hidden behind a curtain of darkness. Only Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol and Jin Do-hwi knew his true identity.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol asked.

"That bastard?"

"I apologize."

"You still haven't found him?"

"He's hidden so secretly that it's taking time. But we've almost found clues, so we should be able to find him soon."

"Hurry."

"I obey!"

With his answer, No Gun-sang's form disappeared from sight.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol, left alone, turned his gaze to the ceiling of the underground cavern filled with darkness.

"Hehe! Old man, wait just a little longer."

He ground his teeth. Then darkness rippled.

Decades had already passed but he still hadn't forgotten. That shameful memory of that day. That humiliating moment when he had to hide and watch his father die.

He had asked.

―Do you want to live?

And that day, he himself had… nodded.

If he could return to that place on that day, he would blow off the head of himself nodding.

"I will never forgive. Hmm!"

Instantly his eyes were dyed with madness and he exploded with tremendous demonic energy.

Roar!

The underground cavern cried out as demonic energy whirled like a storm.

***

"Amitabha! Why is the heavenly energy so unstable?"

Gwang-cheon looked at the sky shrouded in darkness and muttered. The sky was completely covered with dark clouds. The stars had lost their light, and even the large full moon was trapped behind curtains of clouds and invisible.

It had been over twenty years since he became Shaolin Temple's abbot, but this was the first time the heavenly energy was so unstable. The heavenly energy was so chaotic he couldn't see even one step ahead.

"If Infinite Master had been alive at times like this, what great support he would have been. His absence is truly regrettable."

Gwang-cheon recalled the Infinite Divine Monk who had suddenly attained Buddhahood several years ago. As years passed, the absence of the Infinite Divine Monk was felt more keenly.

"Amitabha! Amitabha! Merciful World-Honored One, please watch over Shaolin."

"Abbot."

Then suddenly a familiar voice from outside broke Gwang-cheon's thoughts.

"Who is it?"

"It is this lowly monk Yul-cheon."

"Come in."

With Gwang-cheon's permission, the door opened and a middle-aged monk entered. He was Yul-cheon, one of his first-generation disciples.

"So, how did it go?"

"I apologize. I could not find him."

"Huh!"

At Yul-cheon's answer, Gwang-cheon's expression became grave. At this, Yul-cheon's expression also darkened.

"This lowly monk was incompetent and could not meet the abbot's expectations."

"No. How could that be your fault?"

"Please wait just a little longer. I am doing my best, so I should be able to find Elder Gwang-hae soon."

"What on earth is happening? Gwang-hae isn't a child who would disappear without a word like this."

Gwang-cheon quietly let out a sigh.

It had already been several days since Gwang-hae suddenly disappeared.

At first, he didn't even know he had disappeared. Gwang-cheon was very busy, but the fact that he wasn't on particularly good terms with Gwang-hae from the beginning also played a part.

Gwang-hae was critical of Gwang-cheon's policies. He was displeased with both Gwang-cheon bringing in the Martial Alliance and giving space near Shaolin Temple. Because of this, he had many conflicts of opinion with Gwang-cheon.

Though he knew that everything Gwang-hae said was for Shaolin Temple's sake, it was human nature to lack time even to hear only what one wanted to hear.

Gwang-cheon couldn't escape from that category either. Though he thought his cultivation was deep, Gwang-hae's repeated advice and opinion conflicts tired him and consequently made him turn away.

Gwang-cheon hadn't looked for Gwang-hae for a long time, and only recently noticed that he had suddenly gone missing.

Gwang-hae was an elder of Shaolin Temple, no less. Gwang-hae's disappearance was a great shock to Gwang-cheon.

As soon as he learned of Gwang-hae's disappearance, he called Yul-cheon to search for him. Among those at Shaolin Temple, Yul-cheon was the most worldly and skilled at tracking.

"We must find Gwang-hae. No matter how bad our relationship is, he's not someone who would seclude himself this long without any contact. Something must have happened."

"Abbot."

"Trace his tracks backward. People he contacted, those he exchanged communications with, and his whereabouts – recheck everything without leaving anything out."

"I will do so."

"You may go."

"Then I will return with good news."

Yul-cheon bowed respectfully and withdrew.

Gwang-cheon, alone again, closed his eyes tightly.

"Was bringing the Martial Alliance to Mount Song a mistake?"

He had brought the Martial Alliance to Mount Song for the greater good. The Martial Alliance that established itself on Mount Song was on a path of expansion, but since then Shaolin Temple hadn't had a peaceful day.

It was a decision he had to make because he claimed to be the martial world's leader, but recently Gwang-cheon was gradually regretting it.

The elders with the character Gwang had almost no worldly desires so there was no problem, but among first and second-generation disciples, those who coveted worldly fame were appearing one by one.

They showed behavior more like worldly martial artists than Buddhist practitioners. Through frequent contact with Martial Alliance martial artists, they were unconsciously being influenced.

"Amitabha! Amitabha! This is karma. Karma."

All of this had occurred due to his decision. At first it felt as small as a grain of sand, but now it felt like a huge boulder was pressing on his chest.

Gwang-cheon's sighs continued for quite a while after that.

***

"Brother?"

"Shh! Quiet."

Namgung Seon-hwi quieted Namgung Yeong-hwi who was calling him while looking ahead. At the place his gaze stopped, Dam Ho was sitting with eyes closed, circulating energy.

When Bang Jin-bo first appeared here with Dam Ho, he couldn't express how shocked he was. Dam Ho's appearance, having become a blood person with terrible wounds all over his body, looked no different from a corpse.

But Dam Ho's eyes were still bright, and despite those dreadful wounds, he didn't utter a single word of pain or let out even one groan.

His attitude as if such wounds were nothing gave Namgung Seon-hwi a great shock.

To him who had only been content within the safe fence of the Namgung Family, Dam Ho's existence was a continuous series of shocks from head to toe.

Hiss!

Dense heat haze was rising above Dam Ho's shoulders as he sat cross-legged. As the blood-colored heat haze grew thicker, color was gradually returning to Dam Ho's pale face.

'One cannot become a true martial artist by fearing injury. The moment one fears seeing blood and protects one's body, a martial artist's value disappears.'

Namgung Seon-hwi clenched his fist tightly.

Now he seemed to understand why the Namgung Family had been so miserably defeated by Dam Ho. The Namgung Family, which had much to protect, easily inflicted wounds on others while fearing to be wounded themselves.

Though they might look like absolute masters in others' eyes, the Namgung Family weren't absolute masters. Not by Dam Ho's standards.

One side threw everything they had and clashed, while the other side protected their body trying not to be wounded. Since their mindsets were different from the start, the result was already determined.

Namgung Seon-hwi bit his lips hard enough to draw blood.

The monster circulating energy before his eyes was both the main culprit who brought down the Namgung Family and a teacher worth copying and learning from.

'I will definitely steal and learn everything about you. Then I will revive the Namgung Family.'

Namgung Seon-hwi tightly grasped Namgung Yeong-hwi's small hand.

"Brother!"

"Let's do our best."

"Yes!"

Without knowing why, Namgung Yeong-hwi nodded vigorously.

That's when it happened.

Roar!

Suddenly powerful energy waves swept through the area.

Dust rose thickly from the energy waves spreading in concentric circles.

Dam Ho was about to awaken. ​