Chapter 472

Chapter 472 – The Wheel of Blood Moves Again (1)

A nation's capital inevitably changes color depending on who rules it. Similarly, regional character changes depending on who the hegemon is.

Yueyang was also a place whose color changed as rulers changed.

When the Martial Alliance's headquarters was here, residents' inclinations were also close to the Orthodox Faction. But after the Demon Cult came to dominate this place, knowingly or unknowingly their inclinations also approached the Demon Path.

During the past year, the Demon Cult steadily spread their doctrine to residents. Some showed strong resistance, but many naturally accepted the Demon Cult's doctrine.

The Demon Cult never rushed. Because they knew from experience that forcing the Demon Cult's doctrine too strongly would make people rebel.

They wanted the Demon Cult's doctrine to naturally seep into people like cotton absorbing water, and guided everything to make it so.

Now Yueyang was no longer the Orthodox Faction's territory. To believers of the Demon Cult, Yueyang was no different from a holy land.

From the Demon Cult's headquarters, vast downtown Yueyang came into view at a glance. Especially the Yueyang scenery viewed from the Military Department was truly first-class. But Sang Han-cheon's expression looking at downtown Yueyang wasn't very bright.

All of this was his achievement. Driving out the Martial Alliance and establishing the Demon Cult's headquarters in its place. Collapsing Hubei Province's Zhuge Family and making Wudang Sect close its gates, even annihilating Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance would have been impossible without him.

Though he hadn't placed all of Central Plains under the Demon Cult's feet, he'd still achieved his intended purpose. Yet strangely his heart was anxious.

'It must be because of the great disaster.'

The earthquake that struck all of Central Plains also dealt great damage to Yueyang. Countless buildings were destroyed and tremendous numbers of people died. At least Yueyang could quickly manage the situation with much funding the Demon Cult provided, but nearby regions were almost devastated and took nearly a year to recover.

The effort Sang Han-cheon put in to achieve that was indescribable.

The problem wasn't the earthquake itself. It was when the earthquake occurred.

The earthquake happened to occur after the Demon Cult held ceremony at Shaolin Temple.

'Was it really coincidence?'

Thinking separately it was no big deal, but Sang Han-cheon felt strangely bothered.

That was when.

"Military Strategist."

A confidant ran up prostrating before him.

"What is it?"

"The Cult Leader is emerging from seclusion."

"The Cult Leader?"

Sang Han-cheon jumped up surprised.

During the past year, Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol had been shut away only in the forbidden area. Longer than the originally scheduled time. Therefore Sang Han-cheon had no choice but to handle all the Demon Cult's internal and external affairs. Because of that, those unfamiliar with the Demon Cult's detailed circumstances sometimes mistook Sang Han-cheon for the Cult Leader.

Actually Sang Han-cheon had authority as great as the Cult Leader. Though he himself offered absolute loyalty to the Cult Leader.

Sang Han-cheon rushed to the Cult Leader's Hall.

Inside the Cult Leader's Hall, leadership who'd heard the news and rushed over were already waiting.

"You've arrived? Military Strategist."

"Military Strategist."

They greeted Sang Han-cheon with clasped fists.

Not only the Three Great Army Commanders like Yo Sa-ran, Im Hak, and Jang Mu-gyeong, but even the new Seven Great Demons, all the Demon Cult's core martial artists gathered in one place.

This was the first gathering in one place since the great disaster struck Central Plains, meaning a meeting after a whole year.

Everyone except Yo Sa-ran had bright expressions. They had to.

They were now Central Plains' undisputed hegemons. After Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance's destruction, no sect dared raise banners against them.

Though their activities unexpectedly shrank due to the great disaster striking Central Plains, no sect existed that dared challenge their citadel. Perhaps because of that, leisure somehow overflowed on their faces. But shadows descended on Sang Han-cheon's face looking at them.

'I should have finished it when opportunity came.'

No matter how he thought about it, not finishing Central Plains' conquest due to the great disaster weighed on his mind.

Though they'd crushed giant sects like Wudang Sect and Shaolin Temple seizing Central Plains' hegemony, many potential threats still remained.

Even among the Nine Great Sects, places that remained intact existed, and giant sects and families like Hainan Sect existed too. Though currently holding their breath crushed under the Demon Cult's might, they were places that could sharpen counterattack blades anytime.

Originally Sang Han-cheon had planned to conquer them even amid earthquakes and other great disasters. But unlike him, the Three Great Commanders and Seven Great Demons didn't show great enthusiasm.

Previously they were hungry tigers, but now they were like well-fed wolves. Passion and desire had all disappeared.

Sang Han-cheon felt deeply regretful about that point.

That was when.

Creeeak!

Suddenly the great hall's door opened and terrifying demonic energy poured in. Though no one inside the great hall wasn't called an absolute master, the moment they encountered demonic energy flowing from outside, they unknowingly trembled kneeling.

"Subordinate Sang Han-cheon greets the great Cult Leader, lord of ten thousand demons."

"Subordinate Yo Sa-ran…"

"Subordinate Jang Mun-gyeong…"

Only at this moment were they all speaking with one heart and one voice. The demonic energy flowing in from outside the great hall made it so.

Breath choked so much they felt suffocated. The faces of those inside the great hall turned deathly pale in an instant.

'The Cult Leader has transcended limits again.'

'An incarnation of the Demon God.'

Though demonic energy disappeared instantly, they dared not straighten their bent waists.

Thud!

That moment, low footsteps echoed from outside the great hall. And finally a man wrapped in rippling darkness like robes revealed himself.

The moment he revealed himself, the Demon Cult's leadership couldn't even breathe properly.

He was precisely the Demon Cult's master and Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol who'd reached Demon God Realm in a human body. At his appearance, everyone showed moved expressions.

Then a clear voice was heard in their ears.

"Everyone raise your heads."

Not sound made with the mouth. Like the Buddhist Wisdom Heart Speech, the Demon Path's supreme study of speaking with the heart, Demon Spirit True Sound.

Leadership including Sang Han-cheon all cautiously raised their heads. That moment, darkness shrouding the man's body gradually disappeared like morning sunlight's mist and finally his true appearance revealed.

A man appearing barely late twenties. Impressive were pale skin as if never having seen sunlight once in his life, and neat features like carved jade.

Most of all, the greatest characteristic was his two eyes. Blue jade eyes finely polished gave mysteriousness and strange fear.

An appearance completely different from the Cheok Gwan-hyeol they knew. The Cheok Gwan-hyeol they knew had middle-aged appearance. Still leadership wasn't surprised.

'The Cult Leader achieved rejuvenation.'

At Cheok Gwan-hyeol's realm, it wasn't such a difficult task.

Though appearance changed, Cheok Gwan-hyeol's unique blue eyes hadn't changed. Nor the wild temperament and pressure contained in those indifferent eyes.

The scene of those possessing martial power to dominate the world being crushed by Cheok Gwan-hyeol's blue eyes, not even daring to breathe loudly, was extremely alien yet fearsome. But none present thought that scene strange.

Though now the whole world disparages and fears the Divine Cult as Demon Cult, just decades ago the Demon Cult had declined so much they had to worry about maintaining their lineage. The one who revived such Demon Cult was precisely Cheok Gwan-hyeol.

In Demon Cult history, no one with leadership as powerful as Cheok Gwan-hyeol existed. With unique leadership, he led the wrecked ship-like Demon Cult to the ocean, making them enjoy today's glory.

Impossible without powerful martial force backing. Though young in age, even then he was strong. Also possessor of frighteningly excellent talent and terrible obsession.

He grew stronger daily.

Even the expression "looking with new eyes" fell short for him. He was truly a once-in-a-generation martial artist.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol briefly looked around at leadership then opened his mouth.

"Everyone worked hard during this time. This one commends your efforts pacifying the martial world during my absence. Especially Military Strategist."

"Yes! Cult Leader."

"I know well your contributions were great. I commend your achievements annihilating Wudang and Shaolin."

"Thank you."

"But you know well that alone isn't enough, right?"

"Of course. That's why I've been desperately waiting only for you to emerge. Now that you've emerged from seclusion, we can start the true war for martial world unification."

"Preparations?"

"All finished. If you just give the command, tens of thousands of cultists will march anytime."

Sang Han-cheon answered striking his head to the floor.

During the past year, he hadn't just been idle. He'd secretly obtained intelligence that the Martial Alliance and Shaolin Temple's remnants were building power under Hua Mountain Sect's protection and grasping the situation. That's why he could answer confidently.

"Excellent."

Cheok Gwan-hyeol nodded with an expressionless face.

He looked around saying.

"Soon we'll march for martial world unification, so you all follow Military Strategist's words as my words."

"We obey!"

Thud!

The Demon Cult's leadership answered in one voice striking their heads to the floor.

Yo Sa-ran with her head struck to the floor squeezed her eyes shut.

'Finally…'

She and a few others thought this was enough. Having occupied most of Central Plains, they didn't want to shed more cultists' blood.

Hesitating to move troops using the great disaster as excuse was also because of that. But since Cheok Gwan-hyeol's command fell, the Divine Cult would start moving again, and Central Plains would shed blood again crushed under war's wheels.

In Yo Sa-ran's eyes, the sight of Central Plains submerged in a sea of blood seemed clearly visible.

Then Cheok Gwan-hyeol gave an order.

"Leave only Army Commander Yo, everyone else may withdraw."

"We obey!"

Leadership answered without even asking why.

Leaving only Yo Sa-ran, they left the great hall. Left alone, Yo Sa-ran guessed the reason.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's blue eyes swept over her entire body.

"Undress. I'll wash away accumulated fatigue with your flesh."

"I… obey!"

Yo Sa-ran's voice came out trembling.

Her hands undoing her clothes also trembled. But she didn't hesitate. However much she was a member of the Three Great Commanders, she couldn't defy the Cult Leader's command.

Thud!

All clothes fell to the floor and her dazzling naked body revealed under sunlight.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol leisurely swept over her naked body as if appreciating it. Instantly Yo Sa-ran felt as if countless ants crawled all over her body and shrank.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's gaze examining Yo Sa-ran's naked body suddenly stopped at her right side. Because unlike other places, only her right side had hideous scars. Scars as if torn by a large bird's claws.

"What happened? The wound from Fist Demon?"

"Th… that's right."

Cheok Gwan-hyeol reached out touching Yo Sa-ran's wound. At the ice-cold feeling, Yo Sa-ran flinched instantly but Cheok Gwan-hyeol didn't care.

He closed his eyes as if gauging Dam Ho's martial power through Yo Sa-ran's wound.

When he opened his eyes after a moment, a chillingly cold smile floated on his lips.

"Fist Demon, quite something."

"Pardon?"

"Never mind."

Cheok Gwan-hyeol said indifferently pressing his body onto Yo Sa-ran's white naked body. Yo Sa-ran closed her eyes accepting her fate.

A storm passed through the great hall.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol left leaving behind the exhausted Yo Sa-ran. Opening the great hall's door and going out, a well-kept garden and the headquarters' scenery so vast the end couldn't be seen came into view.

Even while he was in seclusion, the Demon Cult's headquarters endlessly expanded, and now boasted tremendous scale where the end wasn't even visible.

An ordinary martial artist would have been moved by achievements made, but he just looked indifferently with a face showing no emotion.

What he truly wanted was separate.

Only one person knew that fact.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's red lips opened.

"Destruction King!"

"Yes! Cult Leader."

Instantly a white shadow appeared without presence.

The one appearing fluttering snow-white bloodstained robes like wings was White Wing Destruction King No Gun-sang of the Black and White Lions.

As soon as he appeared, he knelt on one knee before Cheok Gwan-hyeol.

Instantly chilling mad light burst from Cheok Gwan-hyeol's eyes.

Wild eyes that even made No Gun-sang gasp "Huk!"

"Is it true the old man was hiding in our cult?"

"I confirmed again and again. Certain."

"Keuhehe! How far did you mock this one? Old man. Daring to hide in our cult. Were you watching me until now under my shadow? Even using my woman."

"My apologies. This subordinate was incompetent, failing to discover it."

No Gun-sang struck his head to the floor. His forehead tore and blood sprayed everywhere dyeing his snow-white bloodstained robes red, but he didn't care.

"The old man's whereabouts?"

"Pursuing."

"Find him without fail. As soon as I unify the martial world, I'll punish that old man."

Fire seemed to pour from Cheok Gwan-hyeol's eyes. No Gun-sang dared not look directly at his eyes, answering with bowed head.

"I obey!"

No Gun-sang disappeared with his answer.

Left alone, Cheok Gwan-hyeol bit his lips.

"How dare! How dare!"

Tssss!

Instantly the garden's plants turned black, then soon withered and twisted.

The garden that just moments ago boasted fresh greenery instantly became a land of death.