Chapter 469

Chapter 469 – Heroes Gather Under the Blue Sky Banner (1)

Two men and one woman were climbing Lesser Mount Hua.

A man a head taller than ordinary people, a man wearing a splendid sword sheath like peacock tail feathers on his back, and a woman with mysterious atmosphere having her face half-covered with gauze.

From the giant man flowed heavy presence like mountains. He raised his head looking up at Lesser Mount Hua.

"Impressive. To make an entire mountain into a training hall."

The giant man recognized at a glance the Iron Blood Hell Training Hall created on Lesser Mount Hua.

The gauze woman spoke somewhat enviously.

"This must be the Central Plains martial world's true power?"

"Possible because they have a clear focal point."

"True enough…"

At the giant man's answer, the gauze woman nodded in agreement. The man following them wearing the splendid sword sheath didn't speak but had an agreeing expression.

That was when.

"Stop!"

With a booming voice, a group of martial artists appeared blocking their way. Martial artists guarding Lesser Mount Hua.

Ha Hu-myeong, who'd guided Taoist Hyeon-so and returned to his original position, stepped forward before the newly appeared visitors.

"Who are you? This isn't a place outsiders can freely enter."

His eyes looking at the three people were full of vigilance.

Lesser Mount Hua was the Central Plains martial world's final fortress.

If this place fell, no more hope would exist in the martial world. Therefore they were extremely wary of outsiders.

Then the young martial artist wearing the splendid sword sheath like peacock tail feathers stepped forward speaking.

"We came to meet Alliance Leader Cho."

"Alliance Leader?"

"I mean Great Hero Cho Yeon-woon, Alliance Leader of Blue Sky Alliance."

"How do you know that fact?"

Ha Hu-myeong's eyes gleamed sharply.

That Blue Sky Alliance was established here was top secret. The fact Cho Yeon-woon was Blue Sky Alliance's Alliance Leader was also a secret among secrets.

What martial artists entering Lesser Mount Hua were most concerned about was maintaining security. No matter how turbulent the world was with disaster, if the fact Blue Sky Alliance was building strength here leaked outside, the Demon Cult would certainly invade even if it meant overextending. Therefore they were extremely wary of secrets leaking to outsiders.

Martial artists behind Ha Hu-myeong grasped weapons taking defensive posture. Then the man wearing the splendid sword sheath raised both hands speaking.

"We're not enemies."

"How do we trust that?"

"If we were enemies, we'd have already informed the Divine Cult of this fact."

"Divine Cult?"

Instantly Ha Hu-myeong's eyes flashed, and the splendid sword sheath man who'd answered made an 'oops' expression.

Only one group in the world called the Demon Cult the Divine Cult. Precisely only martial artists belonging to the Demon Cult. At least martial world martial artists would never call the Demon Cult the Divine Cult.

Chwaaang!

Ha Hu-myeong drew his sword. Then martial artists behind him also drew weapons without hesitation aiming at the visitors.

"Demon Cult followers dare come here?"

"Did the Cult Leader order you to scout?"

Hostility appeared on the martial artists' faces.

They were martial artists who'd experienced Shaolin Temple, the Martial Alliance, and their own sects trampled by the Demon Cult. They hated so much they'd tremble at just mention of the Demon character.

The man who'd mentioned the Divine Cult looked troubled at his companions.

Instantly the giant man stepped forward speaking.

"My name is Geom Yul-cheon. Tell Alliance Leader Cho I'm here."

The giant man was precisely Geom Yul-cheon. The man wearing the splendid sword sheath was Ghost Sword Duke Shin Mu-wol, and the gauze woman was Eum Yu-gyeong, who'd been the Demon Cult's Holy Maiden.

Even after Geom Yul-cheon revealed his identity, the atmosphere didn't improve at all.

"Shut up. Who'd listen to Demon Cult followers?"

Ha Hu-myeong spat out angry words.

His face was dyed red with hostility.

Ha Hu-myeong's sect Jangsan Sect had long disappeared trampled by the Demon Cult. Having lost his master and fellow disciples, he'd lose reason just hearing the word Demon Cult.

Ha Hu-myeong shouted toward his comrades.

"Subdue the Demon Cult followers."

"Waaah!"

Martial artists rushed toward Geom Yul-cheon and Shin Mu-wol without giving them time to explain.

"Huuu!"

Geom Yul-cheon quietly sighed.

The original intention wasn't like this, yet they'd made enemies of Blue Sky Alliance's martial artists.

He told Shin Mu-wol.

"Subdue without injuring them."

"Yes!"

Shin Mu-wol answered while drawing a sword from his peacock sword sheath. During the past year, his martial arts had developed dramatically. Thanks to inheriting some insights from the Heavenly Demon Art.

From Shin Mu-wol's entire body rose sharp presence like a well-honed blade dominating the area. But martial artists rushing toward him weren't intimidated at all. They too had trained risking their lives during the past year. Added to that was infinite hatred toward the Demon Cult.

They didn't care if they lost their lives. If they could kill even one Demon Cult follower to take as companion.

The martial artists swung weapons with full power.

Ttadadadadang!

Shin Mu-wol's sword and the martial artists' weapons clashed bursting metallic sounds.

Ha Hu-myeong and the martial artists truly gave their all. The martial arts they displayed contained intact the blood and sweat of the past year. But their opponents were wrong.

Shin Mu-wol was a master they couldn't handle.

Even a year ago, he'd already ascended to absolute ranks. He'd long surpassed the level Ha Hu-myeong and others could dare challenge.

Subduing them wasn't difficult for Shin Mu-wol. The problem was having to subdue without injury as Geom Yul-cheon said.

Today they'd come not to fight but for dialogue and negotiation. The moment they injured martial artists, dialogue and negotiation would be ruined. Therefore it was difficult fighting.

Moreover, opponents were desperate, clashing with full power disregarding their lives. Such opponents were most troublesome.

Kakakang!

Swords repeatedly clashed, and sparks flew everywhere.

They moved at nearly invisible speed exchanging techniques.

Ha Hu-myeong and the martial artists truly gave their best. But the gap was too great. Shin Mu-wol deflected all their swords then performed acupuncture techniques.

"Keuuk!"

"Keuk!"

They were subdued by Shin Mu-wol's pressure points in turn. Shame and anger appeared on their faces as their bodies stiffened unable to move.

"Keuuk!"

"Damn it!"

They struggled trying to move their bodies. But Shin Mu-wol had used the Poison Sect's acupuncture techniques, so unless they knew the unsealing method, it absolutely couldn't be undone.

Ha Hu-myeong shed tears of frustration. Bitter that he'd been subdued without stopping the enemy. Geom Yul-cheon watched such Ha Hu-myeong with inner admiration.

"They're truly filled with proper venom."

If all martial artists at Lesser Mount Hua were like this, they were truly tremendous power. Geom Yul-cheon thought he'd come to the right place.

When Shin Mu-wol subdued the last martial artist.

"Intruders."

"Attack!"

Martial artists at Lesser Mount Hua who'd heard news of intruders came down and saw that scene. They rushed toward Shin Mu-wol without discrimination.

"Hyu!"

Shin Mu-wol quietly sighed. Because he felt the situation was getting increasingly tangled.

That was when.

Kwaang!

With a roar, cracks appeared in the earth, and ground surface and bedrock rose like an erupting volcano.

"Heot!"

"Wh-what?"

Martial artists who'd been charging vigorously stopped surprised at the earth's appearance rising like hedgehog spines.

At the crack's end was Geom Yul-cheon's foot.

Great Earth Stomp.

A technique concentrating internal power in the foot shaking the earth. Ordinary Great Earth Stomps could never display this level of power.

It was a technique possible because it was Geom Yul-cheon.

Uuung!

The greatly wounded earth burst into wailing.

"What?"

Fear appeared on the faces of martial artists who'd been rushing toward Shin Mu-wol.

Fighting spirit could only be displayed when levels somewhat matched. When the gap was absurdly huge like this, they couldn't even dare attempt it.

Blue Sky Alliance's martial artists were in that state now.

The technique Geom Yul-cheon showed was of a realm far transcending their imagination. This wasn't something they could dare challenge.

Geom Yul-cheon opened his mouth.

"I don't want to cause more problems unnecessarily. My name is Geom Yul-cheon. I want dialogue with Blue Sky Alliance's Alliance Leader."

His voice carried powerful energy echoing throughout all of Lesser Mount Hua.

That was when.

"Hu! I felt familiar energy and indeed it was you."

Someone walked through parting Blue Sky Alliance's martial artists.

Recognition appeared in Geom Yul-cheon's eyes confirming his face.

"Alliance Leader Cho."

He was precisely Cho Yeon-woon.

Cho Yeon-woon looked over Geom Yul-cheon and companions one by one with calm gaze.

"You, were you called Geom Yul-cheon?"

"You indeed remember."

"How could I forget? Thanks to you I saved my life. This is treating a lifesaver discourteously. Sorry."

"Not at all! Rather we're sorry for visiting without contact."

They conversed calmly like old friends meeting after long time. But tense tension flowed between them. Because they'd recognized each other's level.

Originally dragons recognize tigers. They were martial artists worthy of being called dragon-tigers.

Cho Yeon-woon walked toward martial artists subdued by Shin Mu-wol continuing to speak.

"What brings you here? Did you come to meet Ho?"

"No, I came to meet you."

"Me?"

Cho Yeon-woon tilted his head gesturing toward martial artists subdued by Shin Mu-wol.

Papapak!

Instantly with striking sounds the martial artists' pressure points were released. Martial artists whose stiffened bodies were freed and regained freedom thanked Cho Yeon-woon.

"Thank you, Alliance Leader."

"We're sorry."

"Stop calling me Alliance Leader."

Cho Yeon-woon waved his hands at the word Alliance Leader.

Shin Mu-wol was surprised at Cho Yeon-woon so easily breaking his Poison Sect acupuncture techniques.

"During the past year he's grown remarkably. Did he have some fortune?"

Though they'd been able to grow explosively by learning martial arts hidden in holy relics, Shin Mu-wol was curious what fortune Cho Yeon-woon obtained to develop like this.

Cho Yeon-woon, who'd unsealed Ha Hu-myeong and others' pressure points, turned with smiling face looking at Geom Yul-cheon's eyes.

"So, what's the matter? The reason for seeking me."

"Cooperation!"

"Cooperation?"

"Right! I want to cooperate. Between Blue Sky Alliance and Divine Demon Alliance."

"Divine Demon Alliance?"

At Geom Yul-cheon's unexpected answer, Cho Yeon-woon's eyes trembled slightly.

"Divine Demon Alliance will become the Divine Cult's new name."

"I'm not smart enough to understand. If Divine Demon Alliance is the Divine Cult's new name, why should we join hands? The Divine Cult, no, the Demon Cult is our enemy."

"Divine Demon Alliance is a place created by people gathering who share purpose with me. Divine Demon Alliance will absorb the Divine Cult."

"So you mean you'll absorb the Demon Cult changing it to the name Divine Demon Alliance. Did I understand correctly?"

"Precisely."

Geom Yul-cheon answered calmly. But the meaning contained in his answer wasn't calm.

Current Central Plains was Demon Cult world.

The Demon Cult's power was at its peak, and no martial sect in the Central Plains martial world could dare compare to the Demon Cult. Even Wudang Sect, Shaolin Temple, and the Martial Alliance had collapsed before the Demon Cult's massive wave.

Geom Yul-cheon was saying he'd absorb such a Demon Cult changing it to the name Divine Demon Alliance. Words that could only be dismissed as delusional ravings of a madman.

Cho Yeon-woon looked straight at Geom Yul-cheon's eyes. Geom Yul-cheon also met his gaze without avoiding.

"…"

For a moment silence hung.

Because Geom Yul-cheon's words were too shocking, no one around dared open their mouths.

The one who broke the silence was Cho Yeon-woon.

"How will you absorb the Divine Cult? Do you think that's possible?"

"Possible with Blue Sky Alliance's help."

Geom Yul-cheon answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Why do you think we'll help Divine Demon Alliance? And what can we gain from it? If Divine Demon Alliance absorbs the Demon Cult, you'll become our enemy."

"That's distant future matters. Is there reason to already worry about distant future matters? If Divine Demon Alliance absorbs the Divine Cult, we'll first withdraw to Central Plains' south. Isn't that alone sufficient reason to cooperate?"

"How do we trust you?"

"What would make you trust?"

"Try with full power. Then I'll trust you."

Cho Yeon-woon extended his fist.

Geom Yul-cheon, reading that meaning, smiled coldly.

"Can you handle it?"

From his entire body, tremendous presence unraveled like thread.