Chapter 484

Chapter 484 – Staking Everything on a War Without Retreat (3)

Ji Cheon-hwi glared with blazing eyes at Dam Ho walking toward him.

Dam Ho's peculiar gait that was out of sync with his heartbeat ominously stimulated people's hearts. Even a martial artist who'd reached the same realm as Ji Cheon-hwi was affected, so there was no need to mention his disciples.

Gulp!

The sound of someone swallowing dry saliva rang out as loud as thunder. But he didn't even notice that he'd swallowed saliva so loudly. That's how overwhelmed he was by Dam Ho's appearance approaching them.

Though numerous scholars surrounded the area, Dam Ho was walking only toward Ji Cheon-hwi without even glancing at them as if in an uninhabited land. Such behavior of his was arrogant to the point of completely ignoring Myeongil Academy's scholars. Yet not a single person dared step forward rashly.

The martial artist called Dam Ho was not an existence their common sense worked on. His course of action until now had proven that.

At first glance, it seemed like he fought recklessly without considering consequences, but the conclusion they reached was that all of it was actually thoroughly calculated behavior. So they couldn't move rashly even while watching Dam Ho approach.

At that moment, Ji Cheon-hwi issued an order.

"What are you doing? Kill him!"

His voice filled with internal energy awakened the scholars' spirits that had been overwhelmed by Dam Ho.

"Waaa!"

"He's human too. We can kill him with combined attacks."

The scholars rushed at Dam Ho all at once.

In their hands were already bizarre weapons like judge's brushes and emei piercers.

Judge's brushes and emei piercers were all small in size and made to easily pierce vital points. They had optimal forms for those disguised as scholars to use.

Swish swish swish!

The air split and judge's brushes and emei piercers flew aiming for Dam Ho's vital points.

At that moment, Dam Ho's leg drove powerfully down toward the earth. He deployed Great Earthquake Step.

Kwaang!

With a roar, the earth shook as if an earthquake had occurred. The scholars' bodies standing on the earth also shook.

"Kuurk!"

"What, what is it?"

As they panicked, a stream of explosive energy whirled from Dam Ho's body.

Violent Demon Energy, the solitary path lineage's only energy projection technique, was deployed.

Kuukwakwa!

Wrapping explosive energy around his entire body, Dam Ho threw his whole body toward the scholars.

"Kwaaa!"

"Aak! Save me!"

Scholars swept up in the explosive energy were flung in all directions with desperate screams. Severed arms and legs flew here and there, and bodies that lost their heads rolled on the ground like garbage.

It was as if a massive storm had struck.

Everything caught in Dam Ho's trajectory was destroyed.

Judge's brushes, emei piercers, humans…

Ji Cheon-hwi's face, watching that scene, hardened like a rock.

He'd heard about Dam Ho's martial prowess, but the majesty he directly witnessed exceeded his imagination.

'This youngster really is amazing. Even ten years ago the Cult Leader wasn't at this level.'

Ji Cheon-hwi bit his lips tightly.

Ji Cheon-hwi had sympathized with the Cult Leader's dream and discarded his pride as one of the Five Great Heroes to become one of the Five Evils. Though he hid his identity and occasionally acted as a member of the Five Evils, his pride in his own martial arts reached the sky. But watching Dam Ho, he somehow felt shabby.

Even at that moment, the desperate screams of disciples he'd devoted his heart to raising were echoing. Decades of accumulated effort were being reduced to nothing by Dam Ho alone.

Though there wasn't much affection between master and disciple, watching disciples he'd raised with his own hands die to Dam Ho made Ji Cheon-hwi surge with emotion.

"Bastard!"

Eventually he couldn't suppress his rage and rushed at Dam Ho.

Kwaaaa!

When he spread both hands wide, palm force filled with intense heat was released. The heat was so intense that even the air blazed.

"Kraak!"

The flesh of scholars near the palm force's path melted.

Hell Flame Fire Palm.

It was a legendary palm technique said to melt even ten-thousand-pound boulders in one strike when mastered. Until now, not a single person who'd been hit by Ji Cheon-hwi's Hell Flame Fire Palm had survived.

Ji Cheon-hwi was confident this time would be the same.

Over the past decades, his martial arts had developed dramatically through enlightenment. Breaking through countless walls blocking his path, he'd made Hell Flame Fire Palm's power several times stronger than originally. Because of that, Ji Cheon-hwi was confident even if the Cult Leader from ten years ago came, he couldn't block it easily.

Three or four scholars between Dam Ho and Ji Cheon-hwi melted instantly. And Hell Flame Fire Palm reached right to Dam Ho's nose.

He could feel tremendous heat that seemed like it would melt his lungs just from breathing. But Dam Ho didn't even blink an eye and instead threw his body toward Hell Flame Fire Palm.

Wooooong!

His body was trembling finely. The solitary path lineage's unique protective energy technique, Shield, was deployed.

Shield and Hell Flame Fire Palm clashed.

Tsssss!

Instantly a sound like tens of thousands of bees flapping their wings in unison rang out. Hell Flame Fire Palm tried to devour Dam Ho, and Shield tried to crush such Hell Flame Fire Palm.

Shield offset the heat to some degree, but couldn't completely block it.

The ends of Dam Ho's hair melted in hell's heat. His eyebrows flew off, and his clothes caught fire. Still, Dam Ho advanced without stopping.

Like a salmon swimming upstream, just like that.

"I'll melt you down to your bones."

Instantly Ji Cheon-hwi concentrated his power even more. Then the heat intensified and the earth melted drip by drip like candle wax. True to its name, hell's flames arose.

In an instant, flames swallowed Dam Ho's body.

"It's over."

"The Academy Master caught Fist Demon."

Myeongil Academy's scholars burst into cheers.

The fact that Ji Cheon-hwi had subdued Fist Demon, notorious throughout the world, delighted them.

What Myeongil Academy emphasized most was maintaining composure. That was the only way to achieve excellent results whether in martial or scholarly arts, according to Ji Cheon-hwi's philosophy. Because of that, they usually controlled their emotions well. But at this moment, such great turmoil raged in their hearts that they couldn't maintain composure.

The pressure that the existence called Dam Ho gave was that tremendous. While everyone was cheering like that, only one person's face was hardened like a rock.

Ji Cheon-hwi.

Ji Cheon-hwi, the one deploying Hell Flame Fire Palm, could tell by feeling. That hell's heat and flames he was emitting hadn't completely burned Dam Ho yet.

His enemy was still fine.

Instinct was whispering so.

That's when it happened.

Puhwakak!

Suddenly the flames swayed violently then split to both sides.

'He's coming.'

Ji Cheon-hwi prepared to retreat.

Finally Dam Ho revealed himself piercing through the fierce flames.

Half his hair was singed and curled from the flames, and most of his clothes had burned away. But not a trace of burns could be found on his body. Shield had protected his body even in the tremendous heat.

Ji Cheon-hwi launched Hell Flame Fire Palm once more without a moment's hesitation. At that moment, Dam Ho deployed Great Earthquake Step.

Kwaang!

With a roar, the huge rock beneath his feet rose like a fortress wall. Right after, tremendous flames covered where Dam Ho had been.

The flames were blocked by the rock and scattered in all directions.

"This can't be!"

Ji Cheon-hwi involuntarily let out a surprised exclamation.

At that moment, a black shadow fell from the sky. Dam Ho had launched his form into the air. Like a hawk snatching prey, Dam Ho descended vertically. Right toward Ji Cheon-hwi.

"Kuurk!"

Ji Cheon-hwi didn't dare attempt a counterattack and hurriedly dodged backward. And that became the decisive mistake.

From the air, Dam Ho's right leg drove down like a battering ram. Ji Cheon-hwi hurriedly drew up protective energy to block Dam Ho's Charging Step.

Kwang!

"Kuurk!"

Fortunately he blocked the attack, but couldn't completely dissipate the shock so his body shook. Dam Ho tenaciously exploited that gap.

Single Yang Strike hammered the protective energy creating cracks, and Single Piercing Wall pierced through them.

Zzzzeng!

"Khup!"

A shockwave generated by shocking the air's grain gave Ji Cheon-hwi's eardrums a blow. When eardrums receive shock, balance sense is paralyzed.

It was the same for Ji Cheon-hwi. Though his martial arts had reached the absolute realm, he too was human.

His body momentarily staggered and his protective energy wavered. And hell's consecutive attacks began.

Kwakwakwakwa!

Dam Ho's twenty-four consecutive strikes raging like a storm.

Six Harmonies Blood Mountain River.

The solitary path lineage's final chapter was deployed toward Ji Cheon-hwi.

Ji Cheon-hwi's protective energy shattered like glass after just four of Dam Ho's punches. The protective energy that had firmly protected his entire body shattered and his defenseless flesh was exposed.

Over such Ji Cheon-hwi's flesh, the remaining eighteen consecutive strikes mercilessly poured down. He could block a few times using arms and legs. But the layered shocks broke his arms and shattered his shinbones like reeds.

"Kek!"

Ji Cheon-hwi couldn't endure anymore and burst into a scream. At that moment, the power he'd barely maintained scattered like fog.

Kwajik!

His collarbone shattered completely and his internal organs ruptured. Blood shot up like a fountain and his limbs bent grotesquely.

"Kuweaek!"

Ji Cheon-hwi lay on the ground repeatedly vomiting blood. His face was already black with death.

"Academy Master!"

"Everyone save the Academy Master."

Scholars who until now hadn't dared interfere in the fight rushed to save Ji Cheon-hwi.

They seemed mad with fear. But not a single one fled and they all attacked Dam Ho. They were like moths jumping into flames.

'Ah, no!'

Sprawled on the ground, Ji Cheon-hwi screamed seeing that. But his voice only echoed inside his mouth.

Bang! Bang!

At the explosions bursting forth repeatedly, Ji Cheon-hwi's body jerked. Someone's blood splattered over his face. He could tell without even looking. That it was the blood of the scholars he'd taught.

Everything Ji Cheon-hwi had accomplished over decades was collapsing.

By Dam Ho alone.

"Kwaaa!"

After someone's desperate scream, no more sounds could be heard. The scholars he'd brought had all been annihilated.

Shhhhh!

Instead, the sound of someone dragging their feet was heard.

He could tell without checking with his eyes.

'Dam Ho. This demon-like bastard!'

Thick tears rolled down Ji Cheon-hwi's cheeks. Tears he hadn't shed even when his parents died were flowing down.

The sound of footsteps was no longer heard. Instead, Dam Ho's rough breathing was heard.

Ji Cheon-hwi barely lifted his head to confirm Dam Ho's appearance.

Dam Ho's condition was too miserable. Though he'd only avoided burns, countless wounds papered his entire body. Fighting the scholars after being hit by Hell Flame Fire Palm, he'd received quite a few wounds. But even with all those wounds, his eyes still gleamed sharply.

Ji Cheon-hwi shuddered seeing those eyes. Because the demon that destroyed his everything was still hungry for blood.

"Khruh!"

A bizarre breathing sound leaked through his lips. It sounded like laughing and also like crying. Then Dam Ho knelt on one knee to lower his posture and met his gaze. And opened his mouth.

"Where is Ho Cheon-myeong?"

"Khruhuh! Who knows…"

Instantly Dam Ho's eyes narrowed. Because he realized Ji Cheon-hwi had no intention of talking.

Suddenly Ji Cheon-hwi vomited blood. Mixed in the blood soaking his mouth and chest were fragments of shattered internal organs. A wound even the Great Divine Physician couldn't heal.

"Huhu! How regrettable. That I cannot go there. I've raced my entire life for that one thing. Because of you, my lifelong aspiration crumbles. You demon-like bastard! You are a demon that should not exist in this world. Perhaps that place suits you more."

"Where is that place?"

"Huhu! Why ask me? There's someone around you who knows that place. One who survived the gap…"

"Are you talking about Gi San-wol?"

"That's right! That soul magician. Khruhuh! Kulleok!"

Ji Cheon-hwi vomited blood once more.

His eyes gradually dimmed.

"But it's already too late. The Cult Leader already took him."

Instantly Dam Ho's eyes narrowed. Mistakenly thinking he was devastated, Ji Cheon-hwi gathered his last strength to mock Dam Ho.

"Krahaha! It's too late even to regret. You should never have left him alone."

"I left him alone on purpose."

"What?"

At Dam Ho's unexpected answer, Ji Cheon-hwi widened his eyes. Dam Ho's last words seeped into his dimming mind.

"Because that's how I can find Ho Cheon-myeong."

That was the last thing Ji Cheon-hwi heard while alive.

***

Gi San-wol was walking alone on the main street. After the great battle between Blue Sky Alliance and the Demon Cult broke out, public sentiment became unsettled and people refrained from going out. Thanks to that, even though it was broad daylight, hardly any people could be seen on the streets. Despite him being in Nanyang, a fairly large county.

The battle between Blue Sky Alliance and the Demon Cult was increasingly intensifying. After the first clash, the Demon Cult gathered even more strength and fiercely pressed Blue Sky Alliance. They deployed truly overwhelming quantity tactics.

Even the previous Murim Alliance and Shaolin Temple collapsed unable to withstand the Demon Cult's quantity tactics. So people thought Blue Sky Alliance would collapse quickly. But as if mocking people's expectations, Blue Sky Alliance steadfastly endured within the Demon Cult's offensive.

Heroes were emerging daily at Blue Sky Alliance.

On the first day, martial artists with known names like Cho Yeon-woon, Hae So-wol, and So Cheon displayed their majesty, while in the second fierce battle, people like the Seventeen-Member Suicide Squad stood out.

In the third fierce battle, a young martial artist from an unknown sect popped out like a sharp awl, and in the fourth fierce battle, yet another hero displayed his martial prowess.

Different heroes appeared in each of the five fierce battles so far. That was something even Sang Han-cheon, the Demon Cult's military strategist, hadn't anticipated.

He'd chosen frontal confrontation to flaunt the Demon Cult's majesty to all under Heaven, but ultimately it became a failed operation. Because of that, critical public opinion toward Sang Han-cheon was even forming within the Demon Cult.

Eventually Sang Han-cheon changed his thinking and began employing military tactics. Because of that, the tense battle situation began flowing in the Demon Cult's favor again. But people believed. That as before, some unknown hero would appear this time too and reverse the unfavorable battle situation again.

Troubled times always summon heroes, and as if answering that call, heroes were rising throughout the world.

"Has the era of heroes arrived?"

Gi San-wol, who'd been muttering in a low voice, suddenly raised his head to look ahead. Because he sensed presences here and there on the quiet street.

Unfamiliar people suddenly revealed themselves throughout the street.

Instantly a faint smile appeared on Gi San-wol's lips.

'They've appeared.'

He could tell. That they were similar types to himself.

At first glance they looked like ordinary people, but demonic energy like his own flowed from their entire bodies.

At their center was someone emanating particularly intense demonic energy.

'Ghost Envoy.'

The person he'd been searching for so long had appeared on his own.

Ghost Envoy spoke.

"The Cult Leader summons you. You must come with me."